1. Where are you from?

I’m from Winchester, MA, but I was born in Warsaw, Poland.

 

2. What is your major and year?

This is my fourth year at UK. I’m a linguistics major, and I’m in the University Scholars Program.

 

3. Why did you come to UK?

I actually came for the linguistics program. I knew what I wanted to major in when I started applying to schools, and I heard a lot of good things about the linguistics program at UK, and about the language programs as well.

 

4. Do you have any hobbies/interests you want to mention?

I’m learning to roller skate!

 

5. How did you get interested in linguistics?

It was a combination of things. For a long time I thought I wanted to be a science major but I’ve always liked learning languages, and linguistics felt like the logical extension of that when my mother suggested it as an option. I started researching, and paying attention whenever it came up in pop culture, and along the way I realized I really liked the idea of language as a scientific study.

 

6. What has been your favorite (or most memorable) linguistics course and why?

LIN 221 with Dr. Lauersdorf. It’s the very first class that linguistics majors take, but I have a fondness for it because it was my first real experience with linguistics, and really confirmed that I had made the right choice declaring linguistics as my major during the application process.

 

7. What is one course someone considering a linguistics track should take?

Here at UK I would definitely recommend taking Dr. Cramer’s LIN 331, or a similar class where there is an emphasis on sociolinguistic exploration of language in everyday life. The idea that language is everywhere and impacts our lives in ways we never think about is really a big part of what drew me to the field, and I think it’s a very fun concept to start with when you’re looking to explore linguistics.

 

8. What do you want others to know about linguistics and/or why they should study it?

It really does have an incredibly broad range of applications. Everyone communicates in some way, and how we do it tells us so much about ourselves and the world around us. In studying that, I think there’s really something for everyone, regardless of interests and academic background. Whether you want to work in academia or in industry, language really is everywhere so it feels like the possibilities are limitless.

 

9. What are your research interests?

Most of my research interests fall under the umbrella of sociolinguistics. I’m very interested in the intersection of language and identity, and in the practical applications of that kind of study.

 

10. You have been involved with the Linguistic Atlas Project for a few years now, how and why did you get involved with the LAP?

I got an email saying that Dr. Burkette was looking for students to work on the project, and I had been looking for something to do outside of my classes. It was really important to me to see what it’s like to be involved in a big linguistics project, and I loved the idea of helping to preserve and digitize historical data for greater accessibility. Once I started working there, I came to realize the scope of the Atlas, and how valuable that kind of project is to our field. It has really been an incredible experience.

 

11. What are you hoping to do in the future?

I was recently accepted into the linguistics PhD program at UIUC, so I am looking forward to continuing my education and developing my research interests over the next couple of years.

 

12. Anything else you want to add?

I have had a wonderful four years here at UK, and I am going to miss it very much.