The latest stage of my 2026 linguistics speaking tour took me to CapriCon Pop Culture Convention in Rockhampton, Queensland, as a main-stage presenter.
My presentation explored the linguistics of Star Trek, with a particular focus on the development and evolution of Klingon as a constructed language. Beyond its significance within popular culture, Klingon provides a fascinating case study through which to consider phonology, morphology, syntax, lexicon, language construction, and the relationship between language, culture and identity.
A second session moved from linguistic analysis into applied learning through a Klingon Comic Workshop. This creative writing and comic-strip masterclass invited participants to experiment with Klingon through sequential art, storytelling and character development — demonstrating how language learning can be approached through multimodal, embodied and creative pedagogies.
My sincere thanks to CapriCon Pop Culture Convention for inviting and flying me to Rockhampton to present, and for the generous hospitality throughout the event.
It was also a pleasure to finally work alongside MC Ben Sorensen, whose engagement and professionalism contributed enormously to the main-stage experience.
Events such as CapriCon provide an interesting reminder that linguistics does not need to remain confined to the lecture theatre. Popular culture, constructed languages, comics and storytelling can provide meaningful points of entry into understanding how languages are structured, learned, used and connected to culture.