An Interview with APPLE Lecture Speaker Dr. Ross Perlin

Abstract

On April 26th, 2024, the Studies in Applied Linguistics and TESOL (SALT) journal interviewed Dr. Ross Perlin, an invited speaker for the 2024 APPLE Lecture Series hosted by the Applied Linguistics and TESOL program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Ross Perlin is a linguist, writer, and translator focused on exploring and supporting linguistic diversity. His book Language City: The Fight to Preserve Endangered Mother Tongues in New York was just released by Grove in the US and the UK. Since 2013, he has been co-director of the Endangered Language Alliance in New York, managing research projects on mapmaking, documentation, policy, and public programming for urban linguistic diversity. He also teaches linguistics at Columbia. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Guardian, Harpers, and elsewhere. His first book, Intern Nation: How to Earn Nothing and Learn Little in a Brave New Economy, ignited national conversation about unpaid work. He has an MA in language documentation and description from the University of London (SOAS) and a PhD in linguistics from the University of Bern.