Welcome to THE BAREFOOT LINGUIST!
Language is not a book with seven seals.
Whatever language you speak, it is all about communication from human to human (and yes, some people talk to their dogs)!
It only turns difficult when your counterpart speaks a language different from yours – that’s where linguists, translators and other language professionals come in.
The Barefoot Linguist has been dealing with language and languages for over 25 years. – Hold on: why “language and languages”?
Well, linguistics is really about two ways of looking at this: linguists may deal with a variety of different languages but since these have a lot in common, we also study the phenomenon of language as a human trait, similar to how medical scientists study the body.
“So how many languages do you speak, then?”
Oh yes, everybody asks this question. While being a linguist does not necessarily mean learning as many languages as possible (some speak only one and yet know more about language than others). However, it can be useful to learn to communicate in many different languages – and many linguists actually enjoy it! Apart from my native German tongue, I am proficient in English (well, trying), Italian and Spanish. Studies of Japanese and French have contributed their bit (a long time ago) and then there are the more exotic languages such as Dagbani, Urarina and Miriwoong …
“BUT WHAT IS THIS ‘BAREFOOT’ BUSINESS ALL ABOUT?”
The Barefoot Linguist is an advocate for pioneer work in linguistics, which can be done by relatively simple means. Basic principles of language research, effective communication and the right background knowledge are used to study language. No fancy theories and formalisms but thorough and solid study of what language is like. The Barefoot Linguist believes that linguistic skills are best used if applied in practical ways, in real-life situations.
In comparison: footwear needs to be practical, such as to protect against the elements or obstacles. Where it’s not required – why not keep it simple and go barefoot?
Who is behind The Barefoot Linguist?
Knut J. Olawsky is a German-born, Australian national who has specialised in a number of linguistic fields – an enthusiastic academic working with endangered languages from different areas but also is a professional translator, language coach, and author.
More details?
Based on his work as a linguist dealing with endangered languages Knut J. Olawsky has been recognised as an authority in the documentation and preservation of languages under threat of extinction. He has received an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Düsseldorf (Germany), and was awarded postdoctoral fellowships for research at Berkeley (University of California) and La Trobe University (Melbourne). The Barefoot Linguist is certified for teaching German as a foreign language/Intercultural Communication and as a NAATI-accredited translator into German. He has been living in Australia since the year 2000 and was granted residency through a Distinguished Talent Visa on the grounds of his accomplishments in the field of linguistics. At present The Barefoot Linguist works with the elders of Mirima Council to help the Miriwoong and Gajirrabeng people preserve their precious languages and pass them on to coming generations.
Language doesn't have to be a mystery!
The Vision
The world has between 6,000 and 7,000 distinct languages and we usually struggle to even understand our neighbour; that’s reason enough to study language and languages in detail. Unfortunately their number is in steep decline as languages become extinct at a rapid pace. Minority languages disappear as the predominant ones gain more and more influence. The Barefoot Linguist is committed to the preservation and revitalisation of endangered languages. He has studied and described the Dagbani language spoken in Ghana (West Africa) and the Urarina language from Peru. Since 2005, The Barefoot Linguist has been working with the Miriwoong and Gajirrabeng people in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia.
If you are interested in the book “Deutscher Alltag in Übersee” please follow the link to the following Facebook site to find more information:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&¬e_id=146519042044694#!/pages/Deutscher-Alltag-in-Ubersee/133828323300212?ref=mf
Copies of the book can also be ordered here:
http://www.imprint-verlag.de/index.php?p=2&isbn=3-936536-49-x
A temporary German version of the new website can be found here (under construction but “getting there”):
http://gedankensalat.de/tbfl/
Thank you for your patience.
Knut Olawsky
[GERMAN VERSION]
Willkommen bei THE BAREFOOT LINGUIST!
(Diese Seite wird derzeit überarbeitet.)
Um mehr über die Dienstleistungen von The Barefoot Linguist zu erfahren, schicken Sie bitte Ihre E-mail an info[@]thebarefootlinguist.com.au. Unsere Sprachdienstleistungen schließen Übersetzungen ins Deutsche, Korrekturlesen und Editieren sowie Sprachberatung ein.
Falls Sie sich für das Buch “Deutscher Alltag in Übersee” interessieren, folgen Sie bitte folgendem Link auf Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&¬e_id=146519042044694#!/pages/Deutscher-Alltag-in-Ubersee/133828323300212?ref=mf
Das Buch kann auch direkt über den Verlag bestellt werden:
http://www.imprint-verlag.de/index.php?p=2&isbn=3-936536-49-x
Vielen Dank für Ihre Geduld!
Ihr Knut Olawsky
NEWS: Seit 10. Juni 2011 kann das Buch auch wieder direkt über den Autor bestellt werden; das Porto ist dann im Preis inklusive. Eine kurze E-Mail an
info[@]thebarefootlinguist.com.au
genügt!
Responsible for the content of these web pages:
Dr Knut J. Olawsky, P.O. Box 1809, Kununurra WA 6743, Australia.
Contact: info[@]thebarefootlinguist.com.au
THE BAREFOOT LINGUIST is a registered business (ABN 13 858 560 874).
