Return of the Schwa

Your favourite linguistics newsletter returns, why it's on Substack now, and what to expect from the future.

Since I first started writing about language for the public in the fall of 2020, a lot has changed in my approach. I’ve experimented with different formats and platforms: teaching live classes over Zoom, weekly livestreams, posting Beowulf on Instagram, running a Discord community, as well as this very newsletter.

I view the whole enterprise as a portfolio of products. Some have proven sustainable to create and of enduring interest to their audience, and others have not. Those which have passed these two tests, I’ve invested more time and energy into; those which have not, I’ve let wither on the vine. I don’t cry for them: content creation is like nature, red in tooth and claw!

But I’ve always felt that this newsletter has deserved better than I’ve given it. The feedback from readers has always been good, but I’ve struggled to fit a regular habit of long-form writing into the routine of a busy teacher, community manager, and streamer (as I’ve turned out to be!).

This next phase of the Winged Schwa represents my attempt to solve this problem: to deliver interesting linguistics into your inbox on a regular basis.

In order to make this easier, I’m going to be focusing the newsletter more narrowly. Instead of “anything and everything to do with language”, I’ll be writing exclusively about historical linguistics, etymology, and ancient languages. If you lament the loss of content about conlangs, I direct you to my YouTube channel, where you will find enough hours of conlanging content to keep you occupied for quite some time.

This new focus fits well with the work I am doing with the Ancient Language Institute: teaching Latin and Old English. Being in daily contact with these two languages has me perpetually thumbing through etymological dictionaries, historical grammars, and old books. And, dear reader, there is gold in them thar hills: It’d be a shame if I had no one to share it with.

And why Substack? I chose to move the newsletter to Substack because I’ve seen Substack innovate as a company at a rate far exceeding any of the other newsletter services, which seem to me to be resting on their laurels. I’m especially excited about how Substack is focusing on features that build community. More on this at the end!

So, without further waffling, I present to you The Winged Schwa reborn.

Note: I’ll be experimenting with different segments and formats in the coming weeks. Please let me know in the comments if there are any that you particularly like (or dislike). I will produce more of what you like and less of what you don’t, because I’m an overall decent sort.

1. Etymological explorations

These will be short essays on an English word or family of words, tracing the history of its changes in form and meaning over the years back to its earliest reconstructable ancestor. Expect lots of diversions down side-alleys, both of the linguistic and historical variety.

2. Miniature linguistic mysteries

Here I’ll take a question that’s puzzled me (or perhaps you!) and try to figure out the answer by poking around in the literature. An earlier version of this type of thing spawned the essay The Adventure of the Guttural R.

I’m also accepting community suggestions for these mysteries, so if there’s something you’re curious about, let me know in the comments!

3. Historical highlights

In this type of segment I’ll present you with a short text or excerpt – a poem, an ancient law code, an inscription on a helmet, this sort of this – and discuss what we can learn linguistically and historically from it.

Let’s see how I do with these formats, unless any new inspiration strikes me as I write…

Say hello!

Finally, please do drop a comment to introduce yourself! Part of the beauty of Substack as a platform is how it turns a newsletter into a genuine community of like-minded people. If you’ve read all the way to this point, you’re likely the same kind of nerd as everyone else who has done the same thing. So introduce yourself in the comments: where in the world are you, what languages are you learning, what first piqued your interest in language?

I look forward to making (or renewing) your acquaintance in the comments!

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