LINGUIST List 17.936

Tue Mar 28 2006

Fate: Learning to Love Computers

Editor for this issue: Megan Zdrojkowski <meganlinguistlist.org>

Directory         1.     linguist, Editor Tanya Sydorenko's Story
Message 1: Editor Tanya Sydorenko's Story
Date: 28-Mar-2006
From: linguist <linguistlinguistlist.org>
Subject: Editor Tanya Sydorenko's Story


You are gonna like my story! It is about how not easy it is to get into LINGUIST,but how much more difficult it is once you do. (But how I nevertheless like it, ascrazy as it might sound!)

I wanted to get accepted into the M.A. program in linguistics at Eastern only becauseI dreamed to work at the LINGUIST List. Well, for some reason I wasn't offered aGAship from the LINGUIST List, but I was offered to work on a very interestingproject concerning multimedia computer programs and language teaching. So, I came toEastern anyway (I guess that was my fate). I was still interested in the work theLINGUIST List does, so I came to their weekly meetings. Next year I was offered a jobat the LINGUIST List. I was so happy and joyful that day. Well, the morning when Icame to the LINGUIST List office to begin my new job suddenly did not seem so brightanymore! I was given about three, four, maybe five projects to work on and I had noidea what any of those were! But you know what? I was actually able to figure outwhat to do with those projects and learned so much from them. I thought that waschallenging ... but I was wrong. Having almost no programming experience, I was givena project I had no idea how to do (big surprise). After three months, I wasprogramming non-stop and with pretty good success! So, yes, working at the LINGUISTList is challenging, but then where else would I learn how to program in threemonths?!

Now, how does this relate to you, the subscribers, and me, the linguist? You receiveservices of excellent quality in record time done by graduate students. I learn asmuch about computers as I can, which is the knowledge I need to teach languageswith the help of computer applications. Because of my assignment this year (I am oneof the two Fund Drive coordinators), I am learning to be creative and also that Iactually can be creative (under certain pressure). As a Fund Drive coordinator, I getto listen to various ideas the crew has to make the Fund Drive not only amoney-gathering event, but also a fun event. I also get to implement many of thoseideas using computers. This is exactly what I will be doing in the field of computerassisted language learning. As you see, both linguists and LINGUISTS benefit fromkeeping the sun shining over the LINGUIST List. Thank you for appreciating my workand that of the whole LINGUIST List crew! And thank you for your tremendous support!

Tetyana SydorenkoLINGUIST List Editor