by Bre Jordan and Oleksandra Volakova

Are you fascinated by language? Whether you’re a casual word enthusiast, a polyglot in the making, or someone who loves diving into the science behind communication, the Wesleyan Linguistics Club is made just for you!

When Alex Mussomeli (’27) arrived at Wesleyan, he was surprised that there was no clear pathway for students to study linguistics, even though linguistics is a key of communication – every person, whether they are monolingual, sign language user, or polyglot, uses language daily – in conversation, in writing, in learning, and even in the thoughts. With just a few relevant courses scattered across different departments, he saw an opportunity to create a space for linguistics enthusiasts to come together. He partnered with Bre Jordan (’27) and Vik Georgieva (’27) to form the Linguistics Club to facilitate a larger linguistics presence at Wesleyan and provide engaged students with the support necessary to pursue an interest in linguistics through and beyond undergraduate experience. The club welcomes not only language enthusiasts but also students interested in various facets of linguistics, from psychology and creative writing to math and philosophy, ensuring that everyone feels included and their perspectives are valued.

The Linguistics Club aims to serve as a hub for linguistic conversation at Wes: we bring together students, faculty, and departments from across campus to engage in lively discussions, workshops, guest lectures, and collaborative events. In the past, we’ve partnered with groups like FCGS (Fries Center for Global Studies), GEM (Global Engagement Minor), and OISA (Office of International Student Affairs), and have worked alongside professors from Romance Languages, Philosophy, Psychology, and Math. Most recently, we worked with Education Studies, FCGS, and Academic Affairs to bring a linguistics professor from the University of Maryland to campus – his talk drew an incredible turnout. This recognition underscores just how much interest there is in linguistics at Wesleyan. 

We also welcome students from all disciplines to share their experiences with language, personal projects, and research. During Power of Language Week, we collaborated with the Wesleyan International Speaker’s Program and OISA to run a Scripts Workshop, where students learned to write their names in Amharic, Mongolian Script, Hindi, Cyrillic, and Mandarin. Within the club, we are working on creating a conlang— our own fictional language with unique grammar and vocabulary. Our student-led talks have explored topics ranging from the Semiotics of Saussure to Polari to Spatial Cognition in Nicaraguan Sign Language—and we’re always excited to hear new ideas! .

As we continue to grow, we’d love to broaden our conversations and create even more opportunities for students to engage with linguistics. In the future, we plan to:

• Host more informal discussions about current debates in linguistics, from language change to cognitive science, and bust common myths about language.
• Develop accessible resources to help students explore linguistics beyond undergrad, whether through self-study, research opportunities, or graduate programs.
• Create more ways to connect, from workshops to collaborative events with other student groups and faculty members.
• ⁠Bring linguistics enthusiasts together through fun, casual events – starting with a game night in April!

Whether you want to delve into linguistic theory, share your own insights, or simply meet others who love language as much as you do, we would be excited to have you join us!

Follow us on instagram @wesleyanlinguisticsclub and email brjordan@wesleyan.edu to join the email list.