My name is Zack and I am a new editor here at the Linguist List. Though my time has been brief thus far, I have learned an incredible amount, aided by my great peers and coworkers. The service itself has broadened my perception of the field, allowing for a conglomeration of studies from different subfields to contribute to the foundation of linguistic knowledge that I am building for myself. Furthermore, to see the deep interconnectedness of the linguistics field is deeply exciting. In the words of Sandra Keubler, ”Linguistics is a social science and a team sport.” The Linguist List embodies this at a global level, and I could not be more appreciative of the team that I have joined.

I am currently studying computational linguistics, which manipulates the strength of a machine to evaluate language, on many different levels, in order to create a more efficient process for the linguist, as well as, to harvest the incredible amount of language data that exists online. While my previous studies left me essentially digitally illiterate, studying Spanish, French and Astronomy previously, I quickly developed coding skills to assist my language research. I have know delved into the worlds of machine learning, neural networks and more tools that are available to those researching Natural Language Processing. For example, one reason I use these tools is to increase the prepare and make available corpora in Tok Pisin, so that it may be introduced into more mainstream methods of computational research. It is only because of centralized access to wide subfields of linguistics, as is provided by Linguist List, that we can really work together and share wide varieties of research.

In my free time, as minimal as it may be, I enjoy traveling, playing soccer and hiking. I would spend all my time outside if I could, though those who make the decision to travel to Papua New Guinea typically agree. While I spend a bit more time indoors these days, I look forward to the day when I can resume trekking through the jungles of the East Sepik.

It is all due to the Linguist List, and the financial support of the institution, that I am able to put all focus into research and studies, to expand my capabilities as a linguist. Further, I am surrounded by a group of passionate linguists with unique interests that both support and challenge one another, so that we all may be the best versions of ourselves.

Never to forget — you, the readers, who make it all possible. Without your support, we would not have the wide reach to connect and collaborate with humans from all over the world. You make it possible for future of linguistics to be one filled with international collaboration. Thank YOU!