National Linguistics Day

Linguistics Day is an annual celebration on the 26th November, of the study of language in all its richness and diversity. It is a chance to shine a light on the research, teaching, and everyday curiosity that drive linguistics forward, bringing together students, teachers, researchers, and anyone with an interest in how language works. Whether you enjoy exploring patterns in speech, unpicking meanings, or understanding how languages shape the world around us, Linguistics Day invites everyone to join in and discover more.

Why Linguistics Video Competition – 2026 Winners

The winners of the 2026 Why Linguistics video competition have now been announced. The standard of entries this year was high, and we would like to thank all participants for their creativity, insight, and enthusiasm for linguistics.

The winning videos stood out for their clarity, informativeness, and overall appeal, and we are very pleased to showcase them below.

LAGB Prize was awarded to Brendal Aformeziem (PhD student, Institute of Education, University of Strathclyde)

Watch Brendal’s video below:

 

BAAL Prize was awarded Frah Mohamed (first-year undergraduate student, University of the West of England)


Watch Frah’s video below:

CUP Prize was awarded to Dr Alejandro Polomares Ortiz (lecturer in Spanish Language Education, King’s College London)


Watch Alejandro’s video below:

About the judging

Entries were evaluated by representatives from CLiE, LAGB, BAAL, and Cambridge University Press, based on clarity, informativeness, and overall appeal.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who took part in this year’s competition. Your contributions highlight the diversity and vibrancy of linguistics today.

What Is Linguistics Day About?

Linguistics Day aims to open up the study of language to a wide audience, highlighting the many ways linguistics helps us understand communication, culture, identity, and society. It promotes engagement with linguistic research and encourages schools, universities, and community groups to explore how language influences our lives.

Across the UK and beyond, Linguistics Day is marked with talks, activities, videos, competitions, and classroom resources. It is an opportunity to showcase the work of linguists, share insights from current research, spark curiosity, and inspire new learners to explore the science of language.

How Can You Take Part?

There are many ways to get involved, whether you are a teacher, student, researcher, or simply someone who enjoys learning about language.

You might choose to:
  • Host a linguistics-themed lesson or school activity
  • Share interesting language facts or examples of linguistic research
  • Run a discussion about accents, multilingualism, or how language changes
  • Try out linguistics problem-solving tasks
  • Post your own videos, articles, or reflections on social media

However you take part, Linguistics Day is about celebrating curiosity and encouraging more people to discover the value of studying language.

Why Linguistics Video Competition 2026 – Submissions Closed, Winners Announced

To mark Linguistics Day, the Committee for Linguistics in Education (CLiE), the Linguistics Association of Great Britain (LAGB), the British Association of Applied Linguistics (BAAL), and Cambridge University Press (CUP) are jointly running the “Why Linguistics” Video competition.

This is a fantastic opportunity for emerging linguists to communicate what linguistics means to them and why the subject matters.

For any questions about the Why Linguistics Video Competition, please contact us at whylinguistics@lagb.ac.uk. The competition is organised by Dr Eva Eppler, Representative from the Education Committee, and Dr Natalia Pavlovskaya, Web Administrator and External Relations Officer of the LAGB.

Entering the “Why Linguistics” Competition

Participants are invited to create a one minute video explaining what linguistics is and why it matters, with the competition open to undergraduate and postgraduate linguistics students as well as early career researchers. Prizes include two £100 awards from BAAL and LAGB and a £50 book voucher from CUP. To enter, simply email your video to whylinguistics@lagb.org.uk by 1 February 2026 in any standard format up to 300MB, including your student or career status, noting that submissions may be made public for promotional use. Entries will be judged by members of CLiE, LAGB, and CUP on clarity, informativeness, and overall appeal. Please download the PDF for full entry terms and detailed submission requirements.

Download full entry terms (PDF)