Dr Keighley Perkins

🧵 4/4

Alongside reflecting on her doctoral research, Dr Walcott also shares insights into her current work on communication, technology & race, highlighting how digital spaces continue to shape contemporary forms of cultural expression & community-building.

#langsky #linguistics #BBE #MLE

🧵 3/4

It also discusses how Black feminist thought informs approaches to studying digital communication, identity & representation.

#langsky #linguistics #BBE #MLE

🧵 2/4

The episode touches on several key themes, including the role of Black Twitter as a cultural & political space, the sociolinguistics of Black British English & MLE, & the relationship between language online & offline.

#langsky #linguistics #BBE #MLE

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The conversation explores her doctoral research, A Tweet at the Table: Black British Identity Expression on Social Media, which examines how Black British communities use digital platforms to express identity, build community & shape public discourse online.

#langsky #linguistics #BBE #MLE

I finally listened to the latest episode of the @lexispodcast.bsky.social featuring Dr @riannawalcott.bsky.social, Assistant Professor of Communication at the University of Maryland & Associate Director of the Black Communication & Technology Lab.

🔗 tinyurl.com/5n9benwz

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#langsky #BBE #MLE

Understanding and detecting behavioral and ideological escalation online Please note the event will be hybrid, taking place both at Aston University (room NW915) and online

Hybrid event
16.00-17.00hrs GMT
12th March FREE
#ForensicLinguistics

🧵 6/6

Long after migration patterns fade from public memory, traces of those encounters remain audible in everyday speech.

#langsky #linguistics #accent #language #languagehistory

🧵 5/6

This moment of viral recognition therefore highlights something fascinating about language: accents can act as living historical archives.

#langsky #linguistics #accent #language #languagehistory

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Linguists have long noted parallels in rhythm, vowel sounds & intonation between certain Irish accents & Jamaican English.

#langsky #linguistics #accent #language #languagehistory

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Language travelled with them. Alongside Irish surnames & place names that remain common in Jamaica today, elements of Munster English pronunciation appear to have influenced local speech patterns.

#langsky #linguistics #accent #language #languagehistory

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During the expansion of the British Empire, large numbers of Irish people were transported to or migrated to Jamaica. Over time, Irish communities became embedded in the island’s social & economic life.

#langsky #linguistics #accent #language #languagehistory

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This article traces this connection back to shared historical migration between Ireland & Jamaica from the 17th century onwards.

#langsky #linguistics #accent #language #languagehistory

What Irish politician Thomas Gould’s accent going viral in Jamaica reveals about colonial history In the late 1600s, hundreds of Irish people were transported to Jamaica as labourers.

Irish politician Thomas Gould drew attention online when listeners in Jamaica noticed similarities between his Cork accent & aspects of Jamaican speech. Linguistically, the moment sparked curiosity: why do some Irish & Jamaican speech patterns sound so similar?

🔗 tinyurl.com/bde89zmp

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#langsky

I need to read the second one! I love the idea of each book being a different challenge

🧵 4/4

Creating digital spaces where girls are safe, supported, & empowered requires sustained collaboration, evidence, & action.

#DRAGON #onlinesafety #onlineharms #internationalwomensday #childprotection #childsafeguarding

🧵 3/4

This gendered dimension is reflected globally. In the UK, the NSPCC reports that 81% of online grooming offences are committed against girls.

#DRAGON #onlinesafety #onlineharms #internationalwomensday #childprotection #childsafeguarding

🧵 2/4

Evidence from the Maldives shows that technology-facilitated abuse is becoming increasingly present in reported cases of sexual abuse, many affecting women & girls.

#DRAGON #onlinesafety #onlineharms #internationalwomensday #childprotection #childsafeguarding

🧵 1/4

Digital platforms offer enormous opportunities for learning, creativity, & participation. But as Dr. Addai notes, they can also expose girls to evolving forms of harm, including harassment, manipulation, blackmail, & online grooming.

#DRAGON #onlinesafety #internationalwomensday

Designing safer digital spaces where every girl can thrive Statement by the UNICEF Representative to Maldives, Dr. Edward Addai on International Women’s Day

On International Women’s Day, Dr. Edward Addai, UNICEF Representative to the Maldives, issued a powerful statement highlighting the importance of ensuring that girls can thrive safely in an increasingly digital world.

🔗 tinyurl.com/35zr3msd

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#DRAGON #onlinesafety #internationalwomensday

#NowReading

🧵 7/7

The key argument is that language policy in New Zealand remains reactive & fragmented. Rather than responding to each issue in isolation, the article calls for a comprehensive, evidence-based national language strategy.

#langsky #languagepolicy

🧵 6/7

At the same time, New Zealand’s linguistic landscape is changing rapidly. Census data shows strong growth in languages spoken by migrant communities, highlighting both the challenges & opportunities of increasing diversity.

#langsky #linguistics #language #languagepolicy

🧵 5/7

Research cited in the article suggests that workplace safety & communication are not determined solely by test scores.

#langsky #linguistics #language #languagepolicy

🧵 4/7

Language requirements are being used simultaneously to address workplace safety, labour market needs & long-term integration, but the rules across visa categories are inconsistent.

#langsky #linguistics #language #languagepolicy

🧵 3/7

The article illustrates this through a recent dispute involving bus drivers & immigration language requirements.

This example reflects a wider policy tension.

#langsky #linguistics #language #languagepolicy

🧵 2/7

The debate highlights a broader issue: New Zealand still lacks a coherent national language policy, despite becoming increasingly multilingual.

#langsky #linguistics #language #languagepolicy

🧵 1/7

The proposed English Language Bill, which would formally designate English as an official language in Aotearoa, has been widely criticised as largely symbolic. In practical terms, it would do little to change how language is used in everyday life.

#langsky #linguistics #languagepolicy

The debate NZ should really be having about language policy The recently introduced English Language Bill will change little, but highlights a deeper issue. NZ still lacks a coherent framework for language policy.

Debates about language policy have returned to the political spotlight in New Zealand, but a new article suggests the discussion raises much deeper questions than a single bill.

🔗 tinyurl.com/4fhp8vd8

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#langsky #linguistics #language #languagepolicy

🧵 6/6

The broader takeaway is that technical design choices matter. Solutions that are transparent, narrowly scoped & privacy-preserving can help address serious online harms without undermining the security infrastructure millions of people rely on.

#DRAGON #onlinesafety #onlineharms

🧵 5/6

The technology will also be open-sourced, allowing other VPN providers, ISPs & cloud services to adopt similar measures.

#DRAGON #onlinesafety #onlineharms #childprotection #childsafeguarding