Why Linguistics?

Because language is not just what we speak, it’s how we think, how we argue, how we belong, and how we’re misunderstood as well. Linguistics helps us make sense of all that.

I am interested in the people who brought something new or different to the study of Language and of languages. May have names known beyond linguistics. I can think of Derrida, Foucault, Wittgenstein and many more who have influenced the way we look at society and the world. Here, I try to narrow it to their contribution to our understanding of language and the influence they have had.

I also want to discover and share my discoveries of other people, maybe less well known to the general public, niche authors who have nonetheless influence linguistics and our way of thinking about enormously. Here, I am thinking of people like Karl Bühler, Bakthin, Julia Kristeva, but also John Searle, John Austin, Herbert Paul Grice to name but a few; all well known to linguists (and philosophers) but not as widely studied as their more famous counterparts.

And then, there is also the bread and butter linguistic, whether it is to explain why some accents feel ‘posh’, or how children pick up grammar, or why AI struggles with meaning, linguistics gives you the tools to unpack it.

I write about these questions from the ground up. No jargon unless it’s explained. Always asking what this means for how we live.

Who Am I?

I am a graduate linguist toying with the idea of a post grad…

I went back to uni and graduated in Linguistics and Culture at 62y.o.. But I have been reading about linguistics out of curiosity for over 40 years!

I went to school in France and my higher education and professional life have taken place in the UK, Spain. Middle East and Far East. I have been working in procurement for the past 30 years, both in the UK and on projects across many continents.

On this Substack, I focus on applied linguistics, philosophy of language, and how linguistics connects to everyday experience. I also publish on Medium where I focus mainly on phonetics, syntax, morphology.

British English is my register. Clarity is my style. Curiosity is what drives it all.

You can find me on BlueSky and its lesser, swampy alternative X.

Why subscribe?

You’ll get clear, thoughtful writing on how language works and why it matters—whether in education, politics, culture, or your own life.

Expect short essays, occasional diagrams, and honest questions. No fluff. No sales pitch.

If you’re interested in language, communication, and meaning—without the academic fog—this is for you.

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