Louise Rolland
@lrollandmulti.bsky.social
Linguist.e | multilingualism & emotion, identity, social justice (esp. mental health, education) | researching multilingually | academic writing | Own views | #wiasn
#OpenToWork
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9814-2685
#OpenToWork
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9814-2685
Pinned
My view is that it helps to discuss an "interview language policy" with participants, and to actively support translanguaging. Implications of lang choices for the findings must then be reflected on: "linguistic reflexivity" is important! Refs 👇🏻
#LanguagesInResearch #LinguisticReflexivity
#LanguagesInResearch #LinguisticReflexivity
Excellent article about how language acquisition is positioned as a test of one's commitment to citizenship, disregarding the reality of language learning - and facilitating discrimination/abuse on linguistic grounds: theconversation.com/english-less...
#lingsky #immigration #English #policy #ESOL
#lingsky #immigration #English #policy #ESOL
English lessons shouldn’t be an immigration test – why the UK’s new policy risks deepening exclusion
The UK government says tougher English rules will aid integration. Esol experts warn they risk turning language learning into a tool of exclusion.
theconversation.com
January 20, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Excellent article about how language acquisition is positioned as a test of one's commitment to citizenship, disregarding the reality of language learning - and facilitating discrimination/abuse on linguistic grounds: theconversation.com/english-less...
#lingsky #immigration #English #policy #ESOL
#lingsky #immigration #English #policy #ESOL
Job opportunity for translator specialising in translating from an endangered language into English, in any genre. The endangered language can belong to oral or semi-oral traditions, collaborative or community-based practices, and non-standardised forms.
www.wasafiri.org/news-and-eve...
#langsky
www.wasafiri.org/news-and-eve...
#langsky
Call for Applications: Wasafiri Translator in Residence – Endangered Languages
We are excited to open applications for a UK-based Translator in Residence working with/in Endangered Languages — and invite proposals from translators…
www.wasafiri.org
January 20, 2026 at 12:09 PM
Job opportunity for translator specialising in translating from an endangered language into English, in any genre. The endangered language can belong to oral or semi-oral traditions, collaborative or community-based practices, and non-standardised forms.
www.wasafiri.org/news-and-eve...
#langsky
www.wasafiri.org/news-and-eve...
#langsky
Reposted by Louise Rolland
It’s Sunday and the world is burning, but you can’t fight if you’re burned out, so take care of yourself. Read. Create. Check on your friends and family. Spend time with your pet. Go for a walk. Watch a movie. Eat tacos. Hope you have a good one.
January 18, 2026 at 3:58 PM
It’s Sunday and the world is burning, but you can’t fight if you’re burned out, so take care of yourself. Read. Create. Check on your friends and family. Spend time with your pet. Go for a walk. Watch a movie. Eat tacos. Hope you have a good one.
Abhorrent islamophobia from Reform UK, and as usual linguistic diversity is painted as un-British. We are all free to express ourselves in whichever language we please: shock, horror, "The signs are written in a different language"!
#hatespeech #lingsky #multilingual
share.google/9zKXeZTVQoaq...
#hatespeech #lingsky #multilingual
share.google/9zKXeZTVQoaq...
Reform UK’s London mayor candidate condemned for burqa stop and search remarks
Laila Cunningham accused of endangering Muslims after saying it ‘has to be assumed’ people hiding their face for a criminal reason
share.google
January 16, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Abhorrent islamophobia from Reform UK, and as usual linguistic diversity is painted as un-British. We are all free to express ourselves in whichever language we please: shock, horror, "The signs are written in a different language"!
#hatespeech #lingsky #multilingual
share.google/9zKXeZTVQoaq...
#hatespeech #lingsky #multilingual
share.google/9zKXeZTVQoaq...
Gĩkũyũ word of the day: "ngarĩ" (meaning leopard in English). According to the Rebel Girls book about the late Kenyan activist Dr Wangarĩ Maathai, Wa-ngarĩ means "belonging to the leopard". Gĩkũyũ is a tonal language spoken by over 4 million people in Kenya.
#Gĩkũyũ #Bantu #Kenya #langsky
#Gĩkũyũ #Bantu #Kenya #langsky
January 10, 2026 at 2:36 PM
! Murcia Today - Spain Decides Spanish Is Too Hard, Makes English Official Language share.google/WXmXiThI8EXj...
#Langsky #España
#Langsky #España
Spain decides Spanish is too hard, makes English official language
share.google
December 29, 2025 at 10:23 AM
! Murcia Today - Spain Decides Spanish Is Too Hard, Makes English Official Language share.google/WXmXiThI8EXj...
#Langsky #España
#Langsky #España
Reposted by Louise Rolland
New article from me today about the new study of Finland's basic income experiment that found recipients of unconditional income had 33% better mental health than the control group that got the same amount of money with conditions. I also dive into a lot of other evidence about UBI and mental health
Finland Gave Two Groups Identical Payments. One Experienced 33% Better Mental Health.
New research from Finland's basic income experiment proves that simply trusting people with money—not just the money itself—significantly improves mental health
open.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 2:19 PM
New article from me today about the new study of Finland's basic income experiment that found recipients of unconditional income had 33% better mental health than the control group that got the same amount of money with conditions. I also dive into a lot of other evidence about UBI and mental health
Please support staff at the university of Essex, who are at risk of massive redundancy in particular in my former department of Language and Linguistics, by sharing this letter and writing to your MP to express concern if you live in any of the constituencies near the University. #Essex #HE #Lingsky
We have written a further letter to the Vice Chancellor at the University of Essex further to meetings held over the last week and additional questions and concerns that have been raised!
December 15, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Please support staff at the university of Essex, who are at risk of massive redundancy in particular in my former department of Language and Linguistics, by sharing this letter and writing to your MP to express concern if you live in any of the constituencies near the University. #Essex #HE #Lingsky
Reposted by Louise Rolland
📣We're launching the MCCRA research workshop series!
🎓The inaugural talk, 27 January at 2pm UK time, will be by Prof. Kristian Gleditsch.
✏️Sign up below to get invited to our monthly online research talks on armed conflict and/or language in African countries.
forms.office.com/e/k16YaHVH1U
🎓The inaugural talk, 27 January at 2pm UK time, will be by Prof. Kristian Gleditsch.
✏️Sign up below to get invited to our monthly online research talks on armed conflict and/or language in African countries.
forms.office.com/e/k16YaHVH1U
Microsoft Forms
forms.office.com
December 15, 2025 at 9:29 AM
📣We're launching the MCCRA research workshop series!
🎓The inaugural talk, 27 January at 2pm UK time, will be by Prof. Kristian Gleditsch.
✏️Sign up below to get invited to our monthly online research talks on armed conflict and/or language in African countries.
forms.office.com/e/k16YaHVH1U
🎓The inaugural talk, 27 January at 2pm UK time, will be by Prof. Kristian Gleditsch.
✏️Sign up below to get invited to our monthly online research talks on armed conflict and/or language in African countries.
forms.office.com/e/k16YaHVH1U
Reposted by Louise Rolland
📯 Babel No53 is online now! Trinidadian English Creole, Estonian humour, the roots of fruits, and much more
🖥️ Digital subscribers can read on at: cloud.3dissue.com/18743/41457/...
✉️ Print copies will be posted out through December
🏪 Subscribe at babelzine.co.uk
🖥️ Digital subscribers can read on at: cloud.3dissue.com/18743/41457/...
✉️ Print copies will be posted out through December
🏪 Subscribe at babelzine.co.uk
December 15, 2025 at 9:09 AM
📯 Babel No53 is online now! Trinidadian English Creole, Estonian humour, the roots of fruits, and much more
🖥️ Digital subscribers can read on at: cloud.3dissue.com/18743/41457/...
✉️ Print copies will be posted out through December
🏪 Subscribe at babelzine.co.uk
🖥️ Digital subscribers can read on at: cloud.3dissue.com/18743/41457/...
✉️ Print copies will be posted out through December
🏪 Subscribe at babelzine.co.uk
Guess which historical figure learnt ancient and modern languages? Part of a festive trail at the Queen's House, in Greenwich. Merci, Royal Museums Greenwich, for highlighting language learning as a human endeavour throughout the ages!👏🏻
#Langsky #mfl #ancientlanguages #history #Greenwich #UK #quiz
#Langsky #mfl #ancientlanguages #history #Greenwich #UK #quiz
December 14, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Guess which historical figure learnt ancient and modern languages? Part of a festive trail at the Queen's House, in Greenwich. Merci, Royal Museums Greenwich, for highlighting language learning as a human endeavour throughout the ages!👏🏻
#Langsky #mfl #ancientlanguages #history #Greenwich #UK #quiz
#Langsky #mfl #ancientlanguages #history #Greenwich #UK #quiz
🗓️ 🎄Calendrier de l’Avent (en) marseillais
Chaque jour jusqu'à Noël, je vous explique un mot du français de Marseille : étymologie, sens, usages spécifiques, évolution, aspects sociolinguistiques…
Le marseillais, c’est du français… de Marseille.
Allez zou, ça part de là 👇🏼🧵
Chaque jour jusqu'à Noël, je vous explique un mot du français de Marseille : étymologie, sens, usages spécifiques, évolution, aspects sociolinguistiques…
Le marseillais, c’est du français… de Marseille.
Allez zou, ça part de là 👇🏼🧵
December 3, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Reposted by Louise Rolland
It's official: 400 redundancies and a campus closure. At-risk staff will get a letter next week. Absolutely no serious consideration of any of the union's counterproposals.
Please share widely.
Please share widely.
December 2, 2025 at 4:52 PM
It's official: 400 redundancies and a campus closure. At-risk staff will get a letter next week. Absolutely no serious consideration of any of the union's counterproposals.
Please share widely.
Please share widely.
🔊 Denise Amankwah (University of Essex): 'The Languages we Keep: African Parents’ Perspectives on Heritage Language Maintenance in the UK'
📅 Thursday 04 December 2025, 12-1 pm
💻 lnkd.in/eZKHWecX
#multilingualism #UK #lingsky #langsky #Africa
📅 Thursday 04 December 2025, 12-1 pm
💻 lnkd.in/eZKHWecX
#multilingualism #UK #lingsky #langsky #Africa
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
November 29, 2025 at 9:25 AM
🔊 Denise Amankwah (University of Essex): 'The Languages we Keep: African Parents’ Perspectives on Heritage Language Maintenance in the UK'
📅 Thursday 04 December 2025, 12-1 pm
💻 lnkd.in/eZKHWecX
#multilingualism #UK #lingsky #langsky #Africa
📅 Thursday 04 December 2025, 12-1 pm
💻 lnkd.in/eZKHWecX
#multilingualism #UK #lingsky #langsky #Africa
Today, I receptioned (also a gallicism!) a pair of snow mittens & briefly thought of them as "muffles" (-> French "moufles")! 🤣 Am I in bilingual mode, translanguaging or just sleep-deprived? This after a morning of writing in English, whereas snow is very much in my French domain, QED mash-up! ❄️
November 21, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Today, I receptioned (also a gallicism!) a pair of snow mittens & briefly thought of them as "muffles" (-> French "moufles")! 🤣 Am I in bilingual mode, translanguaging or just sleep-deprived? This after a morning of writing in English, whereas snow is very much in my French domain, QED mash-up! ❄️
Reposted by Louise Rolland
Our @education.ox.ac.uk
Applied Linguistics Lunchtime Seminars continue Tues 4th Nov 13-14:00GMT with a review of the research on Arabic as an additional language by Drs @robertwoore.bsky.social and Anna-Maria Ramezanzadeh. Join us online via Teams - details: www.education.ox.ac.uk/event/review...
Applied Linguistics Lunchtime Seminars continue Tues 4th Nov 13-14:00GMT with a review of the research on Arabic as an additional language by Drs @robertwoore.bsky.social and Anna-Maria Ramezanzadeh. Join us online via Teams - details: www.education.ox.ac.uk/event/review...
Reviewing Research on the Teaching and Learning of Arabic as an Additional Language: Challenges, Opportunities and Implications
www.education.ox.ac.uk
November 3, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Our @education.ox.ac.uk
Applied Linguistics Lunchtime Seminars continue Tues 4th Nov 13-14:00GMT with a review of the research on Arabic as an additional language by Drs @robertwoore.bsky.social and Anna-Maria Ramezanzadeh. Join us online via Teams - details: www.education.ox.ac.uk/event/review...
Applied Linguistics Lunchtime Seminars continue Tues 4th Nov 13-14:00GMT with a review of the research on Arabic as an additional language by Drs @robertwoore.bsky.social and Anna-Maria Ramezanzadeh. Join us online via Teams - details: www.education.ox.ac.uk/event/review...
Reposted by Louise Rolland
"it is striking how many of the key players we have looked into — the people who have gone out of their way to put up hundreds of flags — seem anything but ordinary."
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
The men who raised the flags
Nigel Farage says this summer’s movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. That’s not what we found
manchestermill.co.uk
November 2, 2025 at 8:18 AM
"it is striking how many of the key players we have looked into — the people who have gone out of their way to put up hundreds of flags — seem anything but ordinary."
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
Reposted by Louise Rolland
"The discussions or reflections that books inspire can change lives for the better. I know because I’ve seen it."
Author Nathanael Lessore believes fiction can play a big role in supporting positive attitudes to boyhood and masculinity.
Here's how 👇
https://bit.ly/3JqsAug
Author Nathanael Lessore believes fiction can play a big role in supporting positive attitudes to boyhood and masculinity.
Here's how 👇
https://bit.ly/3JqsAug
November 2, 2025 at 8:25 AM
"The discussions or reflections that books inspire can change lives for the better. I know because I’ve seen it."
Author Nathanael Lessore believes fiction can play a big role in supporting positive attitudes to boyhood and masculinity.
Here's how 👇
https://bit.ly/3JqsAug
Author Nathanael Lessore believes fiction can play a big role in supporting positive attitudes to boyhood and masculinity.
Here's how 👇
https://bit.ly/3JqsAug
📣 PhD studentships for UK/Home students: research interests inc. English Linguistics! At least one studentship at
@mybcu.bsky.social will be dedicated to a candidate from a *Global Majority background*. Apply by 27/01/26👇🏻
www.bcu.ac.uk/research/doc...
#linguistics #BAME #PhD
@mybcu.bsky.social will be dedicated to a candidate from a *Global Majority background*. Apply by 27/01/26👇🏻
www.bcu.ac.uk/research/doc...
#linguistics #BAME #PhD
Doctoral Landscape Awards
The AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award is a major new funding scheme from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). Its aim is to grow the UK’s capacity for doctoral research in the arts and humanit...
www.bcu.ac.uk
October 26, 2025 at 11:12 AM
📣 PhD studentships for UK/Home students: research interests inc. English Linguistics! At least one studentship at
@mybcu.bsky.social will be dedicated to a candidate from a *Global Majority background*. Apply by 27/01/26👇🏻
www.bcu.ac.uk/research/doc...
#linguistics #BAME #PhD
@mybcu.bsky.social will be dedicated to a candidate from a *Global Majority background*. Apply by 27/01/26👇🏻
www.bcu.ac.uk/research/doc...
#linguistics #BAME #PhD
Reposted by Louise Rolland
Most large language models today speak only a handful of the world’s 7,000+ languages.
Across Africa, researchers & technologists are tackling this imbalance head-on — collecting ethically sourced, high-quality speech data & building AI that understands African languages.
🔗 tinyurl.com/3689x8bu
Across Africa, researchers & technologists are tackling this imbalance head-on — collecting ethically sourced, high-quality speech data & building AI that understands African languages.
🔗 tinyurl.com/3689x8bu
African languages for AI: the project that’s gathering a huge new dataset
When a language isn’t in the data, its speakers aren’t in the product – and AI cannot be safe, useful, or fair for them.
tinyurl.com
October 20, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Most large language models today speak only a handful of the world’s 7,000+ languages.
Across Africa, researchers & technologists are tackling this imbalance head-on — collecting ethically sourced, high-quality speech data & building AI that understands African languages.
🔗 tinyurl.com/3689x8bu
Across Africa, researchers & technologists are tackling this imbalance head-on — collecting ethically sourced, high-quality speech data & building AI that understands African languages.
🔗 tinyurl.com/3689x8bu
The Voiced festival went out with a bang of #multilingual #poetry last night! We heard extraordinary performances in Spanish, Finnish, Galician, French, German, Scots, an endangered language from the Philippines, Dutch, English & more, before joining voices on 'The silence ends', by John Farndon 👏🏻
🗓️ Voiced: The Festival for Endangered Languages @barbicancentre.bsky.social, events exploring literature in minoritised languages & dialects, celebrating multilingual identities! (16-18 Oct, London) Book here👇🏻 www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/202...
#langsky #london #poetry #literature #multilingualism
#langsky #london #poetry #literature #multilingualism
Live Literature Programme | Barbican
Whether you're joining us for a day or the entire festival, come together to celebrate artists working in endangered languages and dialects.
www.barbican.org.uk
October 19, 2025 at 8:20 AM
The Voiced festival went out with a bang of #multilingual #poetry last night! We heard extraordinary performances in Spanish, Finnish, Galician, French, German, Scots, an endangered language from the Philippines, Dutch, English & more, before joining voices on 'The silence ends', by John Farndon 👏🏻
"Graffiti is the language of the unheard". A great project inviting marginalised groups to dialogue with the church. Canterbury Cathedral installation, from 17 Oct.
(Not sure why BBC focused on a foreign politician's diatribe)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#graffiti #church #art #Canterbury
(Not sure why BBC focused on a foreign politician's diatribe)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#graffiti #church #art #Canterbury
JD Vance slams Canterbury Cathedral art installation
The US Vice President says it has made a
www.bbc.co.uk
October 14, 2025 at 11:19 PM
"Graffiti is the language of the unheard". A great project inviting marginalised groups to dialogue with the church. Canterbury Cathedral installation, from 17 Oct.
(Not sure why BBC focused on a foreign politician's diatribe)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#graffiti #church #art #Canterbury
(Not sure why BBC focused on a foreign politician's diatribe)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#graffiti #church #art #Canterbury
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood: "If you come to this country, you must learn our language and play your part." What if they speak Welsh,
Gaelic, Scots, Irish, Ulster Scots or
Cornish?
Migrants will need A-level standard English to work in UK - BBC News share.google/bYp1cjhiE40l...
#lingsky
Gaelic, Scots, Irish, Ulster Scots or
Cornish?
Migrants will need A-level standard English to work in UK - BBC News share.google/bYp1cjhiE40l...
#lingsky
Migrants will need A-level standard English to work in UK - BBC News
The tougher rules will come in force in January as part of wider plans to cut immigration.
share.google
October 14, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood: "If you come to this country, you must learn our language and play your part." What if they speak Welsh,
Gaelic, Scots, Irish, Ulster Scots or
Cornish?
Migrants will need A-level standard English to work in UK - BBC News share.google/bYp1cjhiE40l...
#lingsky
Gaelic, Scots, Irish, Ulster Scots or
Cornish?
Migrants will need A-level standard English to work in UK - BBC News share.google/bYp1cjhiE40l...
#lingsky
Reposted by Louise Rolland
Banned books staircase created by Gary M. Herd / Kraken Studios.
Newport Public Library.
Newport Public Library.
October 14, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Banned books staircase created by Gary M. Herd / Kraken Studios.
Newport Public Library.
Newport Public Library.