Linguistics Now is a podcast where we talk about everything linguistics, with linguists from all over the world! Host: Vicky Loras. Producer/Creative Director: James Taylor.
In this episode, I am delighted to welcome Natalie Schilling for a conversation about forensic linguistics, interesting cases she has worked on, sociolinguistic fieldwork and her books.
We explore studying language in communities and how linguistic knowledge can contribute to forensic investigations. Thank you, Natalie, for such a fascinating conversation!
🎧 Listen to the episode and share your thoughts in the comments.
#LinguisticsNow #NatalieSchilling #ForensicLinguistics #Sociolinguistics #Fieldwork #MeetthePhDs #MeetthePhDsBookClub
Natalie's books:
Schilling, N. (2013). Sociolinguistic fieldwork. Cambridge University Press.
Wolfram, W., & Schilling, N. (2015). American English: Dialects and variation (3rd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
Chambers, J. K., & Schilling, N. (Eds.). (2013). The handbook of language variation and change (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118335598 (https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118335598)
You can also watch:
- Natalie on Brian Entin's show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg4kS8icgX8&t=14s
- The Mary Day case on 48 hours that Natalie and I discussed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KheUErGCFJA&t=6s
- Natalie's Substack: https://nschilling.substack.com/
16 Jun 2026
Episode 8 - James Fitzgerald
How did linguistics help catch the Unabomber? In this episode, we go true crime!
In this fascinating episode of 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘄, I speak with 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝘁𝘇𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗱, an American forensic linguist, criminal profiler, and author. He is also a retired FBI agent and best known for his role in the UNABOM investigation, which resulted in the arrest and conviction of Ted Kaczynski.
We discuss:
• How language evidence was used in the case
• The linguistic clues hidden in the Unabomber's writings
• The role of forensic linguistics in criminal investigations
• Authorship analysis and language profiling
• The challenges and ethics of using linguistic evidence in legal contexts
This episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at one of the most famous cases in forensic linguistics and demonstrates how the careful analysis of language can contribute to solving major criminal investigations.
🎧 Listen to our amazing discussion - James is absolutely fascinating!
Thank you so much, Jim!
6 Jan 2026
Episode 7 - Elaine Gold
In this episode, I am excited to talk with Dr. Elaine Gold, a remarkable Canadian linguist and founder of the Canadian Language Museum. Dr Gold is truly a national treasure of Canada, whose work highlights the beauty and diversity of Canada’s linguistic heritage. I have admired her work for years!
We discuss her journey leading her to linguistics, creating the Canadian Language Museum, why documenting language matters, and how language connects us to culture and identity. If you love accents, history, and stories about how people speak, this episode offers inspiring perspectives you will not want to miss.
🔗 Learn more about the Canadian Language Museum here: https://languagemuseum.ca (https://languagemuseum.ca/)
Thank you ever so much, Elaine!
26 Nov 2025
Episode 6 - Adrian Leemann
In this episode of Linguistics Now, I speak with Professor Adrian Leemann (https://www.adrianleemann.com/home) of the University of Bern — a leading scholar in sociophonetics and dialectology.
Together, we explore how dialects evolve in our increasingly mobile and digital world, what our voices reveal about identity, and how linguistic diversity continues to shape the way we connect.
Having lived and worked in several countries, Professor Leemann brings a uniquely international perspective to language variation and change.
As my PhD supervisor, he has also been a guiding influence on my own research journey - making this conversation both personal and deeply insightful.
His latest books that we discuss are:
Dialäktatlas: 1950 bis heute (https://dialektatlas.ch/)
An Introduction to Forensic Phonetics and Forensic Linguistics (https://www.routledge.com/An-Introduction-to-Forensic-Phonetics-and-Forensic-Linguistics/Leemann-Perkins-Buker-Foulkes/p/book/9780367616571)
Thank you so much, Adrian! What an amazing discussion we have had - enjoy it!
8 Jul 2025
Episode 5 - Sam Kirkham
Sam Kirkham, senior lecturer at Lancaster University, discusses his research into the dynamics of spoken language, including vocal tract movements and computational models, in this interview.
16 Jun 2025
Episode 4 - Erez Levon
Professor Erez Levon of the University of Bern discusses how language variation signals group membership and reflects social inequality, exploring the connection between language and social identity in an interview.
28 May 2025
Episode 3 - Matthew Hadodo
Matthew Hadodo, a researcher at the University of Salzburg, explores language use and identity, focusing on the endangered Istanbul Greek dialect through ethnographic fieldwork and sociophonetic approaches in this interview.
11 Jan 2025
Episode 2 - Daniel Schreier
Professor Daniel Schreier from the University of Zurich discusses his research on varieties of English, language variation, and sociolinguistics in this interview episode.
16 Dec 2022
Episode 1 - David Britain
Professor David Britain discusses language variation, dialect contact, and the impact of geographical mobility on dialects in an interview about sociolinguistics.
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Sam Kirkham
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