From Curiosity & Language to Linguistic Justice

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.”

~ T.S. Eliot, Little Gidding, Four Quartets

How might choosing to be curious about language influence our familiarity with, understanding of, or comfort around the very words we use to express curiosity — or anything else? That’s where this fascinating conversation with University of Arizona linguistics professor Sonja Lanehart started. 

But it wasn’t long before we were talking about new words for curiosity, the forthcoming Oxford Dictionary of African American English, and curiosity as a privilege reserved for those who have already managed to establish legitimacy for their fields of study.

I think of “anti-wokeness” as a lack of curiosity, whereas “woke” is all about curiosity and allowing your mind and yourself to reimagine — to awaken — to things in ways you haven’t before.

Listen to Choose to be Curious #187: From Curiosity & Language to Linguistic Justice, with Sonja Lanehart

Get to know Sonja Lanehart: https://coe.arizona.edu/person/sonja-lanehart

Learn more about the Oxford Dictionary of African American English, and help crowdsource words: https://public.oed.com/oxford-dictionary-of-african-american-english/

Curious about Michael Harriot, Wypipologist? He explains all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spC2QSrM7f4

One of the breadcrumbs in my “inspiration trail” for this episode was Pip William’s lovely novel The Dictionary of Lost Words: https://pipwilliams.com.au/the-dictionary-of-lost-words/ 

Theme music by Sean Balick; “Tuck and Point” by Onesuch Village, via Blue Dot Sessions.

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