Let me explain.
In my professional life, I have worn many hats. I have a B.A. as well as several years of graduate school in Linguistics. My Master’s degree is in Deaf education, and I have two certificates in teaching English as a Second Language. I have taught ESL in Turkey and in Portugal, and am now teaching writing and English Literature at a community college.
It’s safe to say that I’m quite in love with language.
Mrs. Parker (left) and Zelda (right) will be making regular appearances.
Though I am not a professional linguist in that I don’t engage in official, sponsored scholarly research, I reserve the right to introduce discussions with the phrase “As a linguist…” My studies are independent and part of my life-long quest to understand as much as I can about language: what we say, how we say it, how we don’t say it, how we should or shouldn’t say it, or how we mess it all up.
I started this blog to combine my love of language with my childhood dream of writing. My goal is to comment on language and literature in a way that is more accessible and entertaining to those who have not formally studied these subjects, but without diluting the ideas for the sake of simplicity or mass consumption.
I hope you enjoy!
As a Linguist... 
lol, yeah, you got me to with the ‘as a linguist’, too.
Sometimes I can impress people with “As a non-native speaker..” but it only works with those who have at least a rudimentary knowledge of a foreign language.. or with linguists.
:)
It works on me! I’m always impressed by fluency in other language. I mean, I do okay – I won’t starve and I can tell off a taxi driver in a couple of different countries, but mostly, my second-language is broken :)
I am a huge cat lover, I have two, and I understand what they are saying to me. Meow.
Jackie
They’re two lucky cats! Thanks for stopping by.
Your posts are cleverly refreshing!
Thank you so much!
I’ve been enjoying your site as well. Your writing is so engaging.
I’m really looking forward to reading your past, present, and future posts. I, too, am an English teacher (well an English teacher in waiting). I’m finishing up tests, papers, training, etc. Hopefully, August 2011 I will get my own classroom.
Perhaps, I will learn something from you! :) And I love the bottom of this page–Zelda & Mrs. Parker don’t like plagiarists! Too cute! :)
J x
Thanks, Jenna, for stopping by and commenting. I hope you stick around :) Good luck with getting a classroom!
My girls are very sensitive to academic dishonesty ;)
Hi! I’ve picked your blog for a blog award. :) Please claim it here: http://howalt.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/awarding/
A much delayed (at least on this page) but very sincere thank you!
Ah, another linguist!!! Where have you TESOL’d? You will probably see me back around these parts, as I too am a linguist…
See you around/До Стричи/Zăi Jiàn,
—J. P. Cabit
Hi J.P.!
I have TESOL’d in Turkey and Portugal, as well as here in the U.S. Got my cert. in Pittsburgh and my Dip. in Istanbul. I see Russian (or at least Cyrillic) and Chinese…? Am I correct?
Glad to have you around and would love to hear your comments :)
Spot-on—I took a year of Russian, and am self-learning Chinese.
Istanbul, wow! Turkish has been on my list of languages to learn for a while. :)
Love your words and blog. New subscriber! Thanks.
Thanks Jennifer! I’m glad you’re sticking around :)
I can help you about Turkish language :) Hi, Leonore! Thank you first of all visiting my blog, you are so nice. And yes, seems that the cats of this city amazing for us! I loved your cats too. English Language is my second one and I have been trying to write poem for a long time. Actually I love both of them, I mean English languga and poetry! But cats moreeeeeee. I am so glad to meet with you and also to meet with your beautiful blog. I’ll be your new reader. Greetings and Love, nia
Blogum’a hoşgeldiniz, Nia! I really look forward to seeing more of your photographs. The ones you took of Istanbul were so beautiful. Or should I say, Ne kedar güzel! :)
Glad to stumble across your blog. I love reading GOOD writing from fellow teachers!
Thanks! Glad to have you around!
I think we might be kindred spirits!
Possibly. I’d love to hear why!
I like your blog. :-)
I’m not a linguist but…
I often trip over Tagalog, English, and Spanish.
I dream and write in English (the fruit of two decades+ of life in America). But I curse in Tagalog (my husband caught me).
Looking forward to your future posts.
One of my linguistics professors say that a person’s strongest language will often reveal itself in the language used to curse, talk to animals, count, or have sex. We proposed an experiment to test this theory of hers but she was afraid it wouldn’t be quite ethical to approve it ;)
Glad to have you around!
Like many others who’ve dropped by, I feel a certain familiarity with your words. I too enjoy dropping the old “as a linguist…” preface.
It’s a good one, no? :)
You got me with “I am Pisces..” Me too!
We fish need to stick together!
I know I haven’t been by in forever, but what I have read I really enjoyed so I nominated you for an award. You can check out the post here (if you want): http://hollyjb.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/me-a-versatile-blogger-aw-shucks/
Have a great week!
thanks for the pingback, and the mention of my blog.
Hi! I’m subscribing to your blog! I’m interested in what you write about. I figured I can learn a thing or two. =)
Have a nice day!
-Janie
Hi Janie, and welcome! Thanks for subscribing – it means a lot. I do hope you learn some things, as you hope to, and enjoy yourself along the way :)
Hi! I’m back. I want to invite you to play a game of tag. I hope you have time to answer some questions and tag other people as well. I’m excited to read your thoughts about the questions I wrote.
Here’s the link: http://janielives.wordpress.com/2012/03/03/lets-play-tag/
Have a nice day!
Janie