Welcome to the first LinguisticsHellYeah! contest, also known as the 2011 Contest of Linguistic Badassery. 

Do you consider yourself to be one giant BAMF when it comes to linguistics and language in general? If so, please enter this oh so glorious arena and prove to the masses your unbelievable linguistic prowess. So, what is the challenge, you might ask? We have a contest designed for everyone and anyone - good at drawing but not with words? No problem. Are you a poet and are only able to express your love for languages through song? AWESOME. This is for everyone so get those juices flowing and here is your mission, should you accept it: 

Explain/depict, in any medium (interpretive dance, essay, drawings, video, sand-castling, etc,.), the importance of languages/language learning today and the vital role they play in everyday life.

See. Simple. It can be comedic, serious, chock-full of insanity, ironic, involving zombies, any of those things, just as long as it touches on that topic.

Rules! Every contest has to have rules, unless we want some sort of psychotic free-for-all where the winner is crowned based on which submission my dog tries to eat first and the prizes are made of macaroni and jerky, we need rules. Though, I prefer to call them guidelines:

• Submissions need to be entered by July 4th, 2011 via the ‘Speak. Be Heard’ e-mail button on the right-hand side of the page.
• You must submit your name, contact information (best mode of contact for you), title of submission and of course, the submission itself or a link to your submission. Please title your e-mail ‘Contest Submission - “your name/handle”
•  Multiple submissions are allowed but you will not be awarded more than one title/placement.
• Submissions will be judged based upon content, quality and ability to express the contest topic.
• Submissions will be judged by LHY! moderators and a small panel of judges from other linguistic/language related blogs, as well as peers.
• Winners will be informed July 11, 2011 and the results posted that same day.

Enough of the rules, ahem, guidelines - what about the prizes? Well, let me tell you, they aren’t too shabby:

First Prize: Level 1 of the Rosetta Stone® Program of your choice.

Second Place: A copy of the documentary The Linguists.

Third Place: Your choice of a Teach Yourself® Programme title.

So, there you have it. If you do not wish to participate but would like to act as a judge, please drop me an e-mail with the subject line ‘Contest Judge’.

That’s all folks! Go out there are exercise your creativity and tap into that inner linguist!