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Most people think languages are interesting, but it can be difficult to learn about them in an accessible and reliable way. That is a pity because faulty preconceptions make languages seem boring and sometimes they can even make you think that the way you speak is not "correct", even though it really is!
At the same time, most linguists really care about the people who speak the languages they research, but it can be difficult to learn what is important to speaker communities. When we don't pay attention, it can hurt minoritized communities, as well as our own research.
Therefore, I emphasize outreach, the bridge between the researcher and the non-researcher, so that we can find a common ground, and figure out a more sustainable way to do linguistics. Below, you can find some of my own humble contributions toward this goal.
Popular science writing
Popular science writing
I have contributed one article to the Dutch popular science website NEMO Kennislink, about the number of languages in the world, our limited but growing knowledge about them, and the risks of forgetting about them.
Presentations
Presentations
I have organized several events for members of the Vaímajã community and other interested parties in order to formulate common goals, hopes and concerns about the Vaímajã language, and the role of my project.
Together with the Vaímajã people living in Mitú, we have produced a new alphabet for the language, which you can access here.
We have also been working on a repository of spoken Vaímajã, which includes traditional and personal narratives, conversations, explanatory texts and a joke. The choice of narratives was led by community members.
I have also performed several presentations about my project with the Vaímajã language, and the wider considerations of linguists working in the Vaupés region. I am honoured to have been invited to present my project at the 2023 meeting of the Indigenous Territory of the Tiquié River, as well as in the community library of Mitú, and on two occasions on the local radio Aru Pacoma.
Lastly, I have taught some guest lectures about the field of linguistics in general at children's schools, e.g. at the Top Academie in the Netherlands, and the Politechnic Institute Educa in Colombia.
Plea
Plea
If you would like to invite me to speak or to listen at an event, I'm happy to do what I can. Please contact me about details.
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