HI Faculty Fellow Spotlight: Karin Michelson

March 15, 2021

Our second spotlight for the month of March (because we have two Scholars@Hallwalls this month), features Karin Michelson whose [Virtual] Scholars@Hallwalls talk, “Weaving a grammar of the Onʌyoteʔa·ká· (Oneida) language” takes place on March 26th at 4pm. Click here to register to attend Karin’s talk.

What material(s) sparked your current project that you are now working on as a faculty fellow?

• It has to be the masterful speakers of the Onʌyoteʔa:ká: (Oneida) language who are so dedicated and persistent about speaking and teaching the language.

What has been a source of entertainment these past months as we deal with coronavirus? Any specific recommendations (books, podcasts, film/tv, etc.)?

• Walking our dog ‘Bonnie” and running into her friends. We binged on all six seasions of Schitt’s Creek, having missed it when it first ran (we’re Canadian; grew up in the Montreal area). I read myself to sleep, and have enjoyed the books by Colin Dexter (the Inspector Morse series), even though he uses a lot of vocab (including Latin) I have to look up; Louise Penny Armand Gamache books, set in the Eastern Townships of Québec, are fantastic; and while I’m plugging Canadian authors, there’s the great series by Gail Bowen set in Regina, Saskatchewan.

What is your favorite place outdoors in WNY?

• There’s a great outdoor space — not a formal park or anything — one block north of us. A great big field, and a huge hill (once a water tower) with a woodsy area behind it. Full of wildflowers in the spring; sledders and cross-country-skiiers in the winter. Gorgeous skies from on top of the hill.

Is there a UB colleague whose research or work you think others should know more about?

• So many whom I admire are far better known than I am. I know that I would like to learn more about Walt Hakala’s research, since we are both interested in dictionaries.

Originating as a 19th century parlor game, popularized by Marcel Proust’s responses, pick a question from the so-called “Proust Questionnaire” to answer.

• Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
  
• I definitely overuse “I’ll never get done!” (accompanied by lots of whining noises)

Our thanks to Karin for sharing with us! For more information about Karin and the rest of the 2020-21 HI Faculty Fellow cohort, please visit our Faculty Fellows page.