Hiram L. Smith, PhD - A Dichotomous Environment of Racism & Diversity: Surprisingly Fertile Ground for a Young Linguistic Scholar

Today’s guest is Hiram L. Smith, PhD, Associate Professor of Spanish and Linguistics at Bucknell University.  I met Hiram in a most unusual way (you’ll have to listen to hear the story) but I am so glad I did!

Our conversation covered Hiram’s childhood and youth as a black boy/young man in racist Oklahoma.  Some of his tales are hair-raising.  But coming from a loving family with an emphasis on learning, and his being a smart kid, the groundwork was laid for a bright future.

Turns out, it was a hard-fought battle, with some setbacks along the way.  But Hiram persevered with some help frommentors and ultimately from friends who said, “Why is a smart guy like you hanging out with the likes of us?”. (Sounds like a movie plot, right?)

Hiram’s interest in language started at an early age, and it carried him to Penn State where his dissertation focused on Creole languages.  I learned a lot from this part of our discussion!

Now an Associate Professor at Bucknell, Hiram shared with me insights about languages; how they evolve over time and place and continue to evolve.  We also talk about the origins of dialects and current misconceptions about dialects and what they mean. 

 Once we were done talking, I felt like I’d attended a free “Master Class” session!  Plus, we had a lot of fun. 

Please join us in our conversation! I'm certain you too will learn something new!