Jan 14, 7-9PM | Doors @ 6PM
With Dr. Kara Becker, Professor of Linguistics at Reed College
Advance tickets recommended; $5 suggested donation
Science Pubs are a casual lecture series located in fun venues across the region. Grab a drink and get comfy as you learn about how we talk in Tongue Tied – Linguistic Diversity in American English.
Recommended for ages 10 and over.
About the lecture:
Think you don’t have an accent? Go bananas over how kids these days talk? Sounds like you need some linguistics in your life! In this lecture, sociolinguist Kara Becker will offer a positive perspective on the rich patterns present in how we talk. We’ll cover basic linguistics “facts of life,” including that all languages change and vary, creating meaningful differences that allow humans to construct their social selves. We’ll learn about how vowels are made and about current sound changes happening along the West Coast (yes, you do have an accent!). And, we’ll consider the stakes of our beliefs about language, particularly for speakers who don’t align with common notions of “correct” speech.
Kara Becker, PhD, is Professor of Linguistics at Reed College. Becker is a sociolinguist, a variationist, and a dialectologist, whose scholarship concerns regional and social varieties of American English. Kara received a B.A. in Linguistics and an M.A. in Educational Linguistics from Stanford University, and Ph.D. in Linguistics from New York University. She joined the Reed faculty in 2010, and teaches courses on language and society, including Dialects of English, Contact Languages, Language, Sex, Gender and Sexuality, and African American English. And yes, she is always excited about sociolinguistics!
Zoom Option
If you are unable to join us in person, you can watch on zoom. You must register in advance using this link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Click here to sign up for the Science Pub Newsletter.
Questions? Email sciencepub@omsi.edu
Ticketing questions call 503.797.4000 x0
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are unable to join us in person, you can watch on zoom. You must register in advance via the ticketing page. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
To guarantee a seat at this event, we recommend you purchase your ticket in advance. Please show your ticket at the check-in table in front of the theater upon arrival.
We will always have tickets available at the door. They are first-come, first-served and admission will remain a suggested donation.
Yes, the Empirical Cafe will be open with prepackaged salads, sandwiches and movie snacks. The bar will be open to guests that are 21+. No outside food or drink is allowed.
The Empirical Theater has an upper-level wheelchair accessible entrance and theater restrooms; due to the layout of the theater the lower-level main entrance is only accessible by stairs. Please check in with a Guest Services Representative or volunteer for assistance in locating these areas.
Several daytime documentaries and newer evening full-features offer closed captions, audio description, and volume amplification. The CaptiView closed caption units allow guests to see captions for their show by using a cup holder device that they can adjust within their view, and the Fidelio RX audio description units deliver descriptive narration and can also amplify the theater volume and dialogue.
The Showing Today signs updated daily at the front desk and theater entrance indicate which features offer closed captions (CC) and audio description (AD), while volume amplification is available for all theater content including events such as Science Pub and Reel Science.
Limited quantities of the following devices are available for theater guests and may be requested at either the Front Desk or Concierge Desk as well as from the theater usher:
- CaptiView closed caption (CC) viewing devices
- Fidelio RX audio description and volume amplification units
- Williams Sound NKL-001 neck loops designed to work with hearing aids equipped with a telephone coil or T-Switch
The rough inside measurements of the seats not including arm and back rests:
- Theater seats 16.5” wide and 21.5” deep
- Two accessible seating area chairs 39.29″ high, 29.5″ wide, and 29″ deep
- Additional accessible seating area chairs available by request is 23.5” wide and 21.5” deep
- The weight capacity for the accessible seating area chairs are 500lbs, and the additional accessible seating area chairs support between 200lbs-250lbs
Earplugs can be requested from the Front Desk and Concierge Desk, and sensory resource packs that include:
- Noise reducing headphones
- Fidget toys
- Sunglasses
- Visual and auditory timer
- 2 pound weighted shoulder wrap
- Sanitizing wipes
Please contact OMSI Guest Services at (503) 797-4000 or Info@OMSI.edu with any additional specific questions or needs.
OMSI has switched to a new parking system via the mobile parking app, Parking Kitty, to create an easier and more streamlined experience for our visitors. OMSI parking will cost $5 + fees for 2 hours or $8 + fees for all day parking. Parking is $2 + fees for after-hours events, such as Science Pub.