UK Linguistics presents video showcasing ‘What a Wildcat Sounds Like’
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 20, 2023) — What does a Kentucky Wildcat sound like?
A new initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Linguistics in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky, aims to answer that very question by exploring the many ways language is spoken and heard on a diverse campus.
The video (seen above) features a series of students, faculty and staff repeating the phrase, “This is what a Wildcat sounds like."
Allison Burkette, chair of the Department of Linguistics, said the project began as an attempt to raise awareness of dialect diversity.
"'This is What a Wildcat Sounds Like' became a mosaic of our differences and shows us how — when pieced together — our differences enrich the college experience," she said.
The video also serves as an invitation for everyone to join the academic conversation — no matter their background.
"First-generation students coming to a college campus from, for example, Appalachia, may not feel comfortable with their accent. Maybe they don't feel comfortable enough to speak up in class," Burkette explained. "But the last thing an educator wants is for a student to feel like they can't ask a question or contribute to a conversation, because they're insecure about their use of language."
Ultimately, the project depicts why dialects matter. They are an essential part of linguistic diversity — reflecting the unique histories, cultures and identities of different communities around the world.
"This is simply what people do — they speak to express their identities, to express membership to different groups, to different communities or to their family," she said. "There's a lot of things wrapped up in the way people talk. And I believe very strongly, there's no right way or wrong way to use language."
You can learn more about the Department of Linguistics here.
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