Linguistics Projects

Cover art for ebook Translating Legalese: A Guidebook for Renters.

Website rebuild: Activist Applied Linguistics

Professor Janet Cowal had a dream: a website for Activist Applied Linguistics. Part showcase, part inspiration, and part facilitation to make more projects a reality.

What she had was…a bit of a mess. Buttons to nowhere, huge blocks of text, low-res images, and no cohesive story or identity.

So we started fresh:

Before

Free Download of Translating Legalese: A Guidebook for Renters

“Always read the fine print,” is good advice, but it misses the real problem. We might read the fine print, but most of us struggle to understand it.

This book helps you build the skills to not just read, but really get what’s going on in a housing contract.

The book includes:

  • Basics of how to rent housing

  • Info on renters’ rights

  • A real lease translated into plain English (7th grade reading level or lower)

  • Explanations of key legal concepts

  • A glossary of old-fashioned words

  • Free and low-cost legal resources in Oregon

You can also read my full undergrad thesis about this project at PDX scholar!

After

Now?

A clear, reader-friendly framework to show off the incredible impact she and her fellow collaborators have had on the community.

Plus a contact page with a password-protected Projects Board for researchers and linguists to collaborate on future projects.


The site is now an up-to-date, living document helping future Activist Applied Linguists everywhere.

Still have Questions?