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The Department of Linguistics and English Language in Lancaster is celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2024. In a series of public lectures, we will showcase our recent research in different areas of linguistics. Everyone is welcome!

Evolving accents: Unravelling the mysteries of sound change
Speaker: Dr Sam Kirkham

If you stepped into a time machine and travelled to England 500 years ago, the voices around you would be almost unrecognisable. In this talk, we'll examine the science of how and why accents change, shaping the way we speak today. We'll go deep into this mystery, spanning physical shifts in the speech organs, the brain dynamics that underpin accent change, and how we can track accent variation across thousands of people. By understanding these patterns, we gain insights into the dynamic nature of language and how our voices connect us to our past and to each other. Join us to uncover the hidden forces shaping the way we speak.

For details of the talk and the upcoming programme, please visit our 50th anniversary website.

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Faraday Lecture Theatre, Lancaster University
Lancaster, LA1 4YW

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