Event: Grit-X Talks (Homecoming 2017)

Dr. Christine Mallinson will be one of the speakers (Session 1 10 - 10:30 am). The title of her talk: The Social Life of Speech.

Language is one of our most basic human characteristics—using language is something we all do, all the time, every day. But there isn’t just one linguistic code that we use. Rather, language is a nuanced, complex social tool, naturally evolving over time and changing for different circumstances. Research on the English language examines how various segments of society use words, usages, and pronunciations in ways that reflect the cultures and identities of their speakers. In Baltimore, the language we hear tells us about our history as a city and reflects the diversity of the people who live here.