Rebecca explores the irony of being a linguistics expert who can't speak her heritage language. From childhood poetry books to a Columbia thesis on Sri Lankan linguistic identity, she examines what it means to find your voice when caught between languages - able to read Sinhala letters but not understand their meaning, teaching English to Sinhala speakers, and navigating identity questions in a post-colonial world where language equals power.Key themes: Heritage language loss, linguistic identity, post-colonial language politics, finding voice through academic study, the gap between technical knowledge and lived experience. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thestrategiclinguist.substack.com/subscribe

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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