Department of Language & Linguistic Science, University of York

Dr Imke Driemel of the Department of Language and Linguistic Science has been elected to the Advisory Board of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprachwissenschaft (DGfS), the Linguistics Society of Germany. The two-year appointment began in February 2026, and her first board meeting took place in Cologne earlier this month. The board oversees the society's annual conference, summer schools, and awards programme.

Read more:
https://www.york.ac.uk/language-linguistic-science/about/news/2026/york-linguist-elected/

Our Serate Italiane series continues with an online talk from Professor Eleonora Sasso on the work of Boccaccio. The session explores how themes of the human body and "creatural medievalism" in the Decameron have influenced British culture. The talk will be held entirely in Italian, making it a great opportunity for students and language learners to practice.

https://www.york.ac.uk/language-linguistic-science/about/events/events-2026/serate-italia-june-2026/

A recent Guardian feature on linguist Valerie Fridland, author of the new book Why We Talk Funny, examines how the way we speak shapes the judgements others make about us, from job interviews to the courtroom. These questions sit at the heart of our free four-week course, Accents, attitudes and identity, run by the Department of Language and Linguistic Science. Open to anyone curious about how accents work and why attitudes towards them matter, the course is free to join on FutureLearn.

Accents, attitudes and identity - Free online courses, University of York A member of the Russell Group, we're a research-intensive university founded on excellence, equality and opportunity for all.

Are you looking to build a career in English language teaching? The Department of Language and Linguistic Science is accepting applications for our intensive Trinity CertTESOL course running 17 August to 18 September. This level 5 qualification is accepted by the British Council and equips you with the practical skills needed for your first post as an ESOL teacher. Apply by 20 May 2026 to secure your place.

CertTESOL - Department of Language and Linguistic Science, University of York The Trinity Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL) is an intensive English language teacher training course at level 5 which is open to everyone and is accepted by the British Council as an initial TESOL or TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) qualificati...

How do speakers manage complex grammar in different languages? Dr Caroline Andrews (University of Oxford) joins the LLS Colloquium Series to discuss case production in Hindi, Basque, and Shipibo-Konibo.

16 April, 15:00, P/L/002, University of York

The York English Language Toolkit returns on 10 July 2026. This free hybrid CPD workshop for A-level English Language teachers features talks from Prof Devyani Sharma, Prof Paul Kerswill, Prof Sam Hellmuth and Dr Kobin Kendrick. Save the date.

https://englishlanguagetoolkit.york.ac.uk/workshops

Staff in the Department of Language and Linguistic Science are using Kamishibai, a traditional Japanese storytelling method, to enhance language education and community outreach. Géraldine Enjelvin, Yumi Nixon and Ulrike Wray have integrated this tool into modules and local primary school projects. The team will deliver new interactive workshops this June, including a session at the York Festival of Ideas.

Read more: https://www.york.ac.uk/language-linguistic-science/about/news/2026/kamishibai-march-2026/

Researchers from the Department of Language and Linguistic Science recently received commendations at the Deepfake Detection Challenge hosted by the Accelerated Capability Environment at Microsoft London. The team demonstrated the power of combining human and tool-based methods to strengthen audio deepfake detection in operationally realistic forensic scenarios.

Read more:
https://www.york.ac.uk/language-linguistic-science/about/news/2026/deepfake-detection-challenge/

The growing use of AI in law enforcement raises critical questions about fairness, transparency, and accuracy. To address this, members of the Forensic Speech Services (FoSS) group in the Department of Language and Linguistic Science have collaborated with the UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training in Safe AI Systems (SAINTS) to publish a new policy brief.

Co-authored by FoSS researchers Jessica Wormald, James Tompkinson, Lauren Harrington, Ben Gibb-Reid, Philip Harrison, and Vincent Hughes, the brief consolidates research across forensic speech science and AI safety. It outlines clear recommendations for policymakers to ensure that speech recognition technologies in policing are carefully managed and rigorously tested, with human oversight remaining at the forefront of procedures.

Read the policy brief:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s9_DAXm4brEnV9smW6LQk4C9fde12GB4/view

How does the meaning of the word 'just' change the way we say it? A new study by Dr Ben Gibb-Reid explores the link between pragmatic function and phonetic reduction in British English. Read his findings in English Language and Linguistics.

https://doi.org/10.1017/S1360674325100609