The Language Sciences Institute is excited to announce that Dr. Christine Schreyer will be joining the institute as Interim Co-Director!
Dr. Christine Schreyer is an associate professor of anthropology at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, where she teaches a range of courses in linguistic anthropology. Her research focuses on language revitalization and documentation, in Canada and in Papua New Guinea, as well as the relationship between endangered language communities and created language communities.
She has conducted research with the Na’vi speech community (from the movie Avatar) and has recently been investigating the language of babywearing used in the online fan community of babywearers. She is also a language creator and has created the Kryptonian language from Man of Steel (2013), the Eltarian language from Power Rangers (2017, the Beama language from Alpha (2018). She was co-producer of the documentary film Kala Language Project: Kala Walo Nuã about her community-based work with Kala speakers. She is also an executive producer for the documentary film Conlanging: The Art of Crafting Tongues (2017).
Q&A with Dr. Christine Schreyer
How did you first become involved with Language Sciences?
"I think I was a very early joiner to Language Sciences from UBC Okanagan and I joined because as the sole linguistic anthropologist at UBC’s Okanagan campus for many years, I was interested in finding research community with others who were also interested in language, how people use language, and what it can tell us about the world. One of my earliest memories of a Language Science related event I attended was joining the workshop, “Envisioning a language science of literacy”. I enjoyed hearing so many interdisciplinary perspectives on literacy and its importance and think I joined the Steering Committee for Language Sciences shortly after. I also helped organize film screenings and panels about the film Conlanging: The Art of Crafting Tongues in Vancouver and Kelowna, inviting community members to participate, which was a highlight for me."
What are some goals you have for your time with Language Sciences?
"Since joining Language Sciences, I have gotten to know many of my colleagues in Vancouver and have appreciated collaborating with them. However, sometimes the distances between our campuses can seem bigger than they are. With the pandemic, our ways of interacting have changed and its even easier to connect online and so I’d like to make sure that faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students at my home campus in the Okanagan are aware of the opportunities that exist because of Language Sciences, such as talks, conferences, research collaborations, and much more. We have a thriving community interested in language here in the Okanagan, such as our new Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency Degree, and it would be great for others to find the wider community of scholars as I have through my time with Language Sciences."
What unique perspectives do you bring to Language Sciences?
"One of my unique perspectives I think comes from my time as a member, and past acting director, of the Institute of Community Engaged Research, here at UBC Okanagan. Since my PhD research all of my research has been community-engaged research, whether that’s with online fan communities of constructed languages, or Indigenous communities who are looking to document and revitalize their languages. My focus on community engagement impacts how I view all research and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Of course, I think I’m also the only scholar interested in Constructed Languages too, so that’s also a unique perspective, showcasing what learning about constructed languages can teach us about natural languages and vice versa."
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Christine Schreyer as Language Sciences Interim Co-Director!