Hi. I’m Anna, and I’m really glad to be at LINGUIST List.

I’ve been interested in how language works since I was a kid, when I realized that no matter how fast you say them, [t] plus [h] does not make [θ]. Since then, I’ve been trying to figure out some of the other (endlessly complex, mystifying, awesome) ways language works.

I went to school at Boston University for my BA (linguistics & English literature, 2008) and MA (linguistics, 2010). My thesis involved building a web-based lexicon tool for field linguists, then test-driving it by building an audio lexicon of Medumba (byv). Most of my documentation work has been with Medumba, and I was lucky enough to do some fieldwork in and around Bangangte, Cameroon, in 2010. I’m interested in all kinds of stuff, but my major interests are documentary linguistics, African languages, technology for language documentation, and ethics of language documentation and development.

Here at LINGUIST List, I’m team leader for the Catalogue of Endangered Languages (ELCat) project, which is more fun than I ever thought I’d get paid to have. I’m quality control manager, which is approximately as much fun as I ever thought I’d get paid to have. I also write a bunch of blog and Facebook posts, manage the internship program, help with grant writing, and Manage Miscellaneous Things.

When I’m not being a linguist, I enjoy reading books, looking at animals, thinking about spaceships, riding my bike, playing video games, and volunteering at 826michigan.