A Linguist Amidst Us

A LANGUAGE COWBOY

Dr. John Lipski is a language cowboy. He holds years of erudition in his right-hand holster but slings the power carefully. Yesterday, I spoke with the Pennsylvania State professor and discovered how he maintains his humility despite such a massive understanding of language.

Humbly, he admitted that “linguists are born”, they are not cultivated by way of rote practice. One must have the inner drive and talent to become a linguist.

So, if you already feel stimulated enough to pursue linguistics, this is the blog for you. If, however, you are unsure, take this advice: “be omniverous”. Investigate anything that interests you, get sidetracked and lost but always maintain an end focus. If at the end of your travels you find you’re a linguist, I say, welcome.

Tags: linguistics