This summer, I also attended the Summer Linguistics Institute for Youth Scholars
(SLIYS) at Ohio State University—a program designed for high school students curious about language and its many layers. As someone interested in linguistics and computational linguistics, I was excited to move beyond podcasts and articles and be able to gain more in-depth and foundational knowledge of Linguistics in a classroom setting. SLIYS offered a hands-on, intellectually rich experience that introduced me to the core branches of linguistics. This program was great for a beginner like me.

The first week introduced a wide range of topics and gave us a broad overview of the field through expert-led lectures. The second week focused more on applying what we learned, with interactive experiences that built on that foundation. We got to see what it means to be a linguist and learned about the kinds of research happening in the field. The program was fun, fast-paced, and gave me a solid starting point to continue studying linguistics. It added context and background that makes it easier to make sense of material I encounter in articles and discussions on the topic.
What I Learned
The program covered a wide range of topics, each offering a different lens into how language works:
– Phonetics: The study and classification of speech sounds.
– Syntax: How words and phrases are arranged to form well-structured sentences.
– Morphology: The structure and formation of words.
– Historical Linguistics: How languages evolve over time.
– Pragmatics: How context shapes meaning in conversation, including deixis,
turn-taking, and implicature.
– Dialectology: The study of regional and social dialects.
– Semantics: The study of meaning in language—how words and sentences
convey ideas.
We also worked with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), a standardized
system for representing speech sounds. This was one of the more challenging parts for me because matching sounds to symbols didn’t come easily. I often relied on reference tables to get through it, but as I got more practice, the patterns became easier to identify and I improved.

One of the most exciting parts of the program was working with language
consultants—speakers of languages like Ukrainian and Bengali. We asked them
questions and used what we learned to map out aspects of their language. It was an engaging way to apply what we learned and explore how linguists uncover the structure of unfamiliar languages.

Learning from Amazing Instructors
SLIYS was led by a team of passionate graduate students and faculty members whose research and teaching styles made the experience very inspiring and engaging:
– Kyler Laycock studies sociolinguistics and phonetics, focusing on how speech
communicates identity.
– Jory Ross explores speech perception and sociolinguistics, showing how visual
and social cues influence how we interpret speech.
– Emily Sagasser works across syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, with a special
interest in how non-linguistic factors shape language understanding.
– Elena Vaikšnoraitė, also a language consultant, focuses on syntax and
morphological alternations, and reminded us that linguistics often involves more
math than expected.
– Dr. Clint Awai-Jennings, the program director, teaches historical linguistics and
studies the social meaning of Pidgin and creole languages, especially those
spoken in Hawai‘i.
Each instructor brought a unique perspective to the classroom, and their enthusiasm for the subject was contagious. Hearing about their research and academic path made the field feel more approachable but also showed how expansive and dynamic the field can be.
SLIYS gave me a deeper appreciation for the complexity of language and the tools linguists use to study it. Whether I was working through IPA symbols or analyzing sentence structure, I felt challenged and motivated. I’m eager to continue my exploration of the field and gaining a deeper understanding of linguistic concepts, especially as I connect them with the language patterns and communication I observe in my everyday life.