Becoming a Linguist
The first time I can recall truly noticing language variation was when my mother met my step-father. Having grown-up in Seattle, Washington, my younger brother and I gawked at the fact that "Elmur Fudd" was on the other line the first time we ever spoke to him on the phone. Our move out east further strengthened my awareness of language variation. Without realizing it, my mother was preparing me for a life as a linguist. As we were preparing to cross the border, she instructed us to find all of the "r"s in a box of Alphabet cereal. Once across, we pulled over, stretched our legs, and dumped them over the guardrail, as if pledging to not only live like a Mainer, but talk like one too. I quickly began to notice that my new friends, family, and neighbors talked a little bit differently than I did. They said "pen" and "pin" differently. The garbage was sometimes called "rubbish." Our house had a "cellah" and a "dooryahd," and when we drove to the beach, we sometimes passed the "salt mahsh." "Wicked" was a good thing, "ayuh" was another way of saying "yes," "soda pop" was just "soda," "tennies" were simply "sneakers," "potato bugs" were now "rolly pollies," when you had a new thought, you sometimes called it an "idear," and if you agreed with someone, you simply had to remark "So don't I!"
My ear for language grew as I entered grade school and took a liking to learning Spanish, which quickly became a passion. One of my fondest memories took place at a bull fight in Cordoba Spain. My family was confused as to why one of three bulls was being set free. Noticing our confusion, an older woman turned to me and, in Spanish, explained that if a bull proves itself worthy, it can be set free to live the rest of its life. Now, what you have to understand is that I was only a sophomore in high school at the time. I had only had a few years of Spanish. I certainly hadn't learned all of the words necessary to understand her. And yet somehow, I was able to translate for my family perfectly. To this day, I can still remember her detailed description of the bull's well-earned life to come.
My story continues as I enter university at the University of Vermont, where, in my first year, I took my first course in Linguistics. I'll spare you the details, but I owe much of my enthusiasm for linguistics (and teaching) to my undergraduate advisor, Emily Manetta (pictured on the right). She instilled in me a passion for studying language that still characterizes me today.
In undergrad, I learned that "soft-serve ice cream" was referred to as a "creeme" in Vermont. Traffic circles were "roundabouts." "Vermont" and "Montpelier" are actually not pronounced with a "t." "Charlotte" is pronounced like "Char-LOT" ... not like the spider in the book. "St. Albans" is really "Snalbans." People that come to Vermont just to view the fall foliage are called "Leaf Peepers." "True blue Vermonters" are those whose family has lived there for generations. If you're from away, your called an "outlander." If you slow down to look at a car accident, you're "rubbernecking." A three-point turn to reverse directions in a car is a "Vermont turn-around." And even though Canada is to the north, you go "down to Canada" when you visit there.
It was during undergrad that I also started using "lol" and "brb" when I texted. Facebook became a thing. "Retarded" was a new word for "dumb" or "stupid." It was becoming common for people to abbreviate words like "totally" and "legitimate" to "totes" and "legit." A "bromance" was used to depict to really close guy friends. And if someone was getting roudy, angsty, or aggressive, you could tell them to just "chillax."
My story continues as I enter university at the University of Vermont, where, in my first year, I took my first course in Linguistics. I'll spare you the details, but I owe much of my enthusiasm for linguistics (and teaching) to my undergraduate advisor, Emily Manetta (pictured on the right). She instilled in me a passion for studying language that still characterizes me today.
In undergrad, I learned that "soft-serve ice cream" was referred to as a "creeme" in Vermont. Traffic circles were "roundabouts." "Vermont" and "Montpelier" are actually not pronounced with a "t." "Charlotte" is pronounced like "Char-LOT" ... not like the spider in the book. "St. Albans" is really "Snalbans." People that come to Vermont just to view the fall foliage are called "Leaf Peepers." "True blue Vermonters" are those whose family has lived there for generations. If you're from away, your called an "outlander." If you slow down to look at a car accident, you're "rubbernecking." A three-point turn to reverse directions in a car is a "Vermont turn-around." And even though Canada is to the north, you go "down to Canada" when you visit there.
It was during undergrad that I also started using "lol" and "brb" when I texted. Facebook became a thing. "Retarded" was a new word for "dumb" or "stupid." It was becoming common for people to abbreviate words like "totally" and "legitimate" to "totes" and "legit." A "bromance" was used to depict to really close guy friends. And if someone was getting roudy, angsty, or aggressive, you could tell them to just "chillax."
Four years later, I graduated and headed to Canada for my Masters at the University of Toronto. There, I had the privilege to study under Jack Chambers, Sali Tagliamonte, and Naomi Nagy. My fellow cohort members, as well as the other graduate students there, made life as a Linguistics graduate student one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. I forged great friendships and I met my future wife, Holly.
Apart from Linguistics bootcamp, I quickly picked up Canadian language features, continuing my tradition of being as (what I refer to as) a "linguistic sponge." I began ending sentences with "right," allowed "eh" to sneak in at unpredictably natural places, my "out"s began to sound more like "uh-oo-t"s, and nouns like "process" and "progress" went from being "prah-cess" and "prah-gress" to "proh-cess" and "proh-gress." Bathrooms were "washrooms," utensils became "cutlery," "dinner" turned into "supper," and if I completed my work, "I was done it."
Apart from Linguistics bootcamp, I quickly picked up Canadian language features, continuing my tradition of being as (what I refer to as) a "linguistic sponge." I began ending sentences with "right," allowed "eh" to sneak in at unpredictably natural places, my "out"s began to sound more like "uh-oo-t"s, and nouns like "process" and "progress" went from being "prah-cess" and "prah-gress" to "proh-cess" and "proh-gress." Bathrooms were "washrooms," utensils became "cutlery," "dinner" turned into "supper," and if I completed my work, "I was done it."
Finally we reach the "here-and-now." I am currently a third-year PhD student at Michigan State University, continuing my studies in Sociolinguistics under Suzanne Evans Wagner. I have made several great friendships, including my "work wife," Ashley Hesson, and have invested myself in the Linguistics department, both as a committee member of the LSO, and a researcher, reading group leader, and mentor in the Sociolinguistics Lab. I coach, I teach, and I am a Simulated Patient for MSU's College of Human Medicine.
I have always had a knack for having "too many ideas." As such, my research interests are vast. However, I am currently working on three areas of research that I am very much invested in and passionate about. The first is the Redneck identity and Redneck speech. The second is the effects of individual differences (including personality) on speech perception and production. Finally, I also research teaching and education, itself, working with the English Department at Davenport to increase the level of awareness of linguistic discrimination and linguistic diversity at DU, and also by critically analyzing the effectiveness of the projects I use in my classes. |
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Apart from furthering my linguistics education, Michigan has taught me that people that live in the Upper Peninsula are "Yuppers," Wisconsin is not the mitten state, Michigan State is not the same as Michigan, and everybody roots against Ohio. "dot com" sounds a bit more like "dat cam," "milk" can sometimes sound like "melk," and "trolls" are people that live in the Lower Peninsula.
And so for now, I leave you until my next big adventure. I have transitioned from being someone who simply noticed language, to someone who simply loved language, and finally have become someone who studies language; after years of studying Linguistics, I finally call myself a "Linguist."
And so for now, I leave you until my next big adventure. I have transitioned from being someone who simply noticed language, to someone who simply loved language, and finally have become someone who studies language; after years of studying Linguistics, I finally call myself a "Linguist."