Norms and Deviations: exploring (mis)spelling across language and poetry

This Lunch Talk, organised by PhD students from across the Humanities department, explores the dynamic relationship between spelling, linguistic variation, poetry and art. The event comprises six short talks by PhD students on how (mis)spelling reflects and shapes language variation and, in poetry, where unconventional or innovative spelling becomes a deliberate artistic strategy, how poets can challenge norms. By bringing these perspectives together, the talk aims to spark an interdisciplinary conversation about how spelling functions as both a linguistic variable and a poetic resource, inviting participants to rethink what it means to “spell” across diverse communicative and creative contexts. Bring your lunch, questions, and an open mind!