LINGUIST List 11.430

Tue Feb 29 2000

All: Volunteers Needed for Ask-A-Linguist Panel

Editor for this issue: Karen Milligan <karenlinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. The LINGUIST Network, Volunteers needed for Ask-A-Linguist panel

	
	
	Dear Subscribers,
	
	Since its inception in 1997, the Ask-A-Linguist service at 
	http://linguistlist.org/~ask-ling/ has proven to be one of the most 
	popular features on LINGUIST. Our distinguished panel of 
	volunteers fields over a hundred questions per year from the general 
	public. We are now in the process of filling vacancies on the panel 
	and would like to hear from you if are interested in joining the ranks 
	of our Ask-A-Linguist experts. 
	
	We feel that Ask-A-Linguist serves two very important functions. 
	With the ever-increasing role of the Internet as an information 
	source, The Ask-A-Linguist page not only provides a valuable 
	educational service for the general public, but it also helps to dispel 
	the unattractive image of linguistics as a narrow and/or irrelevant
	field. Our volunteer panelists are, therefore, providing an important 
	service to the discipline, as well as (Ah, fame!) enjoying public 
	acclaim as language authorities.
	
	If you volunteer, you can remain for as long or as short a time as you
	like. You will be forwarded questions that have been screened by the
	Ask-A-Linguist editor. You will not be expected to answer every
	question forwarded to the account or to give extensive answers to
	those you do choose to respond to. However, you will be representing
	the profession and The LINGUIST List, which will present you to
	questioners as an authority. So we would like you to commit to:
	
	 -returning polite, serious answers to questions,
	 whatever the temptation otherwise.
	
	 -keeping an eye out to see that all questions receive
	 an answer. This would mean that if you see that a
	 question has gone unanswered for a long time you (a) try
	 to answer it or (b) call a LINGUIST editor's attention to
	 it, so that we can try to find an answer.
	
	Questions and replies are automatically archived and displayed at
	the LINGUIST web site:
	http://linguistlist.org/~ask-ling/archives.html
	
	If you think you would like to join the panel, please send a message to 
	lydialinguistlist.org. Please include the URL to your personal web page, 
 if you have one. We would like our readers to be able to read about your
	background, accomplishments, and areas of expertise.
	
	
	As always, thank you for your support. We sincerely appreciate your
	generous willingness to share your time and knowledge.
	
	All the best,
	
	Helen, Antony, & Andrew
	Linguist Moderators