United Kingdom Linguistics Olympiad


The United Kingdom Linguistics Olympiad is a linguistics competition for primary and secondary school students in the United Kingdom. The competition is divided into four levels: Breakthrough, Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced, collectively known as 'Round 1', with roughly 16 top-scoring entrants at Advanced level eligible for a follow-on round, called 'Round 2' and selection for participation in the International Linguistics Olympiad, one of the international science olympiads. In 2009, teams from two schools competed in a pilot competition, with the winners taking part in the international contest as guests of the All-Ireland Linguistics Olympiad. In 2010, an independent olympiad was created and has taken place every year since.

History

Problem-solving competitions in linguistics for secondary school students have been taking place around the world since the 1960s. In Russia, the Moscow and St Petersburg Linguistic Olympiads are credited with inspiring hundreds of young talented scholars to choose linguistics as an academic major and profession. Currently there are national contests within Europe, North and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. There is also an International Linguistics Olympiad in which students from many countries compete, which began in 2003, and was first hosted by Bulgaria.
In 2009, two UK schools, the Manchester Grammar School and Downlands Community School, took part as guests in the Irish competition, and the winning team represented the UK at the International Olympiad. This triggered the foundation of a permanent committee for the UK Linguistics Olympiad, and the creation of a consortium of olympiads held in English-speaking countries, ELCLO, as a means for pooling resources with NACLO, AILO and OzCLO, the American, Irish and Australian Linguistics Olympiads respectively. The UKLO committee is chaired by Dick Hudson, with Neil Sheldon serving as vice-chair.
In 2010, 560 students from 28 schools entered, 223 at Foundation, and 337 at Advanced level. In 2011, 1165 entries were received from 49 schools, 349 at Foundation, and 816 at Advanced level. 2012 saw the introduction of the Intermediate level, with 1912 entries from 300 schools, 432 at Foundation, 498 at Intermediate and 982 at Advanced level. 2013 saw total entries number 2878, with 1069 at Foundation, 643 at Intermediate and 1166 at Advanced level. In 2015, a new, lowest entry level was introduced, called Breakthrough, with 96 entrants. By 2018, the numbers had increased to 220 in Breakthrough, 1042 at Foundation, 970 at Intermediate and 1650 at Advanced.
The Olympiad has sponsorship and support from various organisations including the British Academy, The Linguistics Association of Great Britain, The British Association for Applied Linguistics, The Philological Society, Routes into Languages, The School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics, University of Sheffield and The School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh.
The Olympiad has received coverage in the first and second issues of Babel magazine, as well as in the Francophonie journal and Attain magazine. Olympic athlete Christine Ohuruogu MBE is the patron of UKLO, having completed a Linguistics degree at University College London.
The UK has sent a delegation to the International Linguistics Olympiad every year since 2009, and has competed in 11 olympiads. They have sent 68 participants in 17 teams, selected through UKLO. In competition, teams from the UK have brought home 34 medals, 3 team trophies, 1 first-place team cup, 3 best solution prizes, and 12 honourable mentions. In addition, the UK has sent 5 Repeat Medalists and 3 Dream Teams to the Hall of Fame. The UK Linguistics Olympiad was the host for the 2013 IOL, held at the Manchester Grammar School and chaired by Neil Sheldon. The competition in Manchester was featured on an edition of BBC Radio Four's Word of Mouth programme centring on language games.

Format

The competition is divided into two rounds. Round 1 is open to all secondary school pupils, while Round 2 is invitation only.
10 linguistic data problems are posed in each year's Round 1 papers, with the Breakthrough paper being 1-3, Foundation 2-5, Intermediate 4-7, and Advanced 6-10. The intention is that each problem is harder than the previous. At Breakthrough, Foundation and Intermediate levels, participants may enter either individually or as part of a group of 2-4 students, and timings and conditions can be decided by schools. At the Advanced level, the competition must take the format of an individual, two and a half hour test sat under controlled conditions.
Roughly 16 of the top scorers from the Advanced paper are invited to participate in Round 2, which takes the form of a residential training weekend at a host university, followed by a three-hour test posing five more problems. Eight competitors in two teams from Round 2 are invited to participate in the International Linguistics Olympiad and represent the UK, with selection being based mostly on performance in the Round 2 paper, but past performances at IOL and Round 2 are taken into account, as is performance in the training throughout the weekend.

IOL Teams

Since 2009, the UK has sent teams annually to the IOL.
TeamNameAward
GBBen Callerhonourable mention
GBAdam King
GBBen Miller
GBAlex Sheppard

TeamNameAward
1Craig Bohrsonhonourable mention
1Alison Coxon
1Imogen Nelson
1Younus Porteousbronze medal
2Helen Hambling
2Sarah O'Keeffe
2Carl Rietschelhonourable mention
2Nathan Somersbest solution to question 5

TeamNameAward
UKPiotr Gałuszkahonourable mention
UKJessica Hao
UKJake Lishman
UKNik Moorebronze medal

TeamNameAward
UKMelanie Duncanbronze medal
UKOmri Faraggibronze medal
UKBaichuan Libronze medal
UKTom Whitesilver medal

Note: This team was entered into the IOL Hall of Fame as a "Dream Team" because all members of the team received a medal.
TeamNameAward
NorthOmri Faraggisilver medal
NorthHarry Goodhewhonourable mention
NorthSam Heath
NorthNeema Kotonyahonourable mention
SouthDaniel Pitthonourable mention
SouthOliver Sayeed
SouthTheo Tindallhonourable mention
SouthElysia Warnerhonourable mention

TeamNameAward
UKAlastair Carrhonourable mention
UKJack Hodkinson
UKOliver Sayeed
UKElysia Warnergold medal

TeamNameAwardTeam Award
EastSamuel Ahmedgold medal, 2nd place individual
EastSamuel Hosegood
EastNaomi Solomonsbronze medal
EastIsobel Voyseyhonourable mention
WestAnthony Braceysilver medalgold trophy
WestLiam McKnightgold medalgold trophy
WestHarry Taylorhonourable mentiongold trophy
WestStephanie Wonghonourable mentiongold trophy

TeamNameAwardTeam Award
UKSamuel Ahmedgold medalbronze trophy
UKZeki Dolenbronze trophy
UKLiam McKnightgold medal, 3rd place individual, best solution to question 1bronze trophy
UKIsobel Voyseybronze medalbronze trophy

TeamNameAwardTeam Award
Team KSamuel Ahmedgold medal, 1st place individualhighest combined individual scores
Team KSimeon Hellstengold medalhighest combined individual scores
Team KKamran Sharifihighest combined individual scores
Team KHarry Taylorsilver medalhighest combined individual scores
Team UBenjamin Liow
Team ULiam McKnightgold medal, 3rd place individual
Team UBen Morrissilver medal
Team UAlfie Vaughan

TeamNameAwardTeam Award
Team UEleanor Edwardsbronze trophy
Team UEdmund Leabronze medalbronze trophy
Team USelina Wangbronze trophy
Team USean Whitebronze medal, best solution to question 3bronze trophy
Team KSimeon Hellstensilver medal"dream team"
Team KLiam McKnightgold medal, 2nd place individual"dream team"
Team KHari Prasadbronze medal"dream team"
Team KBenedict Randall Shawgold medal"dream team"

TeamNameAwardTeam Award
Team USam Cornergold medal"dream team"
Team UKilian Meissnerbronze medal"dream team"
Team UHarrison Mooresilver medal"dream team"
Team UAlex Walkerbronze medal"dream team"
Team KTommaso Leonardi
Team KSimeon Hellstengold medal
Team KDanien Turaevsilver medal
Team KBenedict Randall Shawgold medal