Tyler Kibbey, Linguist
Tyler Kibbey's work concerns activism and linguistics research focused on religious violence and advancing LGBTQ+ issues in the academy and beyond.
Curriculum Vitae
Tyler Kibbey
Humboldt University – Berlin
Leibniz-Centre General Linguistics
CRC 1412 ‘Register’
Schützenstr. 18
10117 Berlin, Germany
Research Interests______________________________________________________________________________________
Conceptual Metaphor Theory; Critical Metaphor Analysis; Critical Discourse Analysis; Language, Gender, and Sexuality; Queer and Trans Linguistic Theory; Historiography of Language Science; Linguistic Anthropology; Sociology of Linguistics; Anthropology of Religion; Religious Violence; Queer Theory
Education_______________________________________________________________________________________________
2020 Master of Arts in Linguistic Theory and Typology, University of Kentucky
…………………….Thesis: Vox et Silentium Dei: The Linguistics of Religious Violence
…………………….Committee: Dr. Rusty Barrett (Chair), Dr. Allison Burkette, Dr. Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby
2020 Graduate Certificate in Cognitive Science, University of Kentucky
2017 Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics, Honors, Magna Cum Laude, University of Tennessee
…………………….Thesis: Religious Metaphor and Structural Complexity
…………………….Advisor: Dr. Thorsten Huth
Publications____________________________________________________________________________________________
Academic Publications
2019 Transcriptivism: An Ethical Framework for Modern Linguistics. Proceedings of the Linguistics
…………………………Society of America 4(1): 1-13.
2016 Pronouns and Thoughts on Neutrality: Gender Concerns in Modern English. Pursuit: Journal of
…………………………Undergraduate Research 7(1): 71-84. Second Author, with Brandon Darr
Unpublished Manuscripts
in review Faith and Death in the Andamans: Religious Metaphor in the Journal of an American
…………………………Missionary.
in review On Religious Metaphor: Ilithyic Metaphor Systems and Their Ontology.
Other Publications
2018 The State of Linguistics in Higher Education: Annual Report 2017. 5th ed. Linguistic Society of
…………………………America. First editor, with Alyson Reed.
Grants & Awards________________________________________________________________________________________
Awards & Fellowships
2020 Doctoral Research Fellowship, Collaborative Research Center 1412, ‘Register: Language
……………………Users’ Knowledge of Situational-Functional Variation’, Humboldt University of Berlin and
……………………Leibniz-Centre General Linguistics
2019 Graduate Student Research Fellowship, Center for Equality and Social Justice, University of
……………………Kentucky
2019 Diversity and Inclusion Award, Office of Student Organizations and Activities, University of
……………………Kentucky
2019 Academic Advancement Award for Advancing LGBTQ+ Issues in Academia, LGBT+ College
……………………Conference
2019 Writing Center Excellence Award, Robert E. Hemingway Writing Center, Writing Rhetoric and
……………………Digital Studies Department, University of Kentucky
2019 Institute Affiliate & Fellow, 2019 Linguistics Institute, UC Davis
2019 Rising Star, LINGUIST List
2018 Wikipedia Fellow (LSA), Wiki Education
2017 Bethany Dumas Award for Outstanding Service, IDP Linguistics Program, University of
……………………Tennessee
Grants & Scholarships
2020 AAA COVID-19 Grant, American Anthropological Association
2020 Graduate Student Travel Award, Graduate Student Congress, University of Kentucky
2019 Graduate Student Research Fellowship Grant, Center for Equality and Social Justice, University
…………………… of Kentucky (for master’s thesis data collection)
2019 Interdisciplinary Public Engagement Conference Grant, Society for Linguistic Anthropology (for
…………………… the panel “New Directions in LGBTQ+ Linguistics: Commemorating the LSA Special Interest
…………………… Group on LGBTQ+ Issues in Linguistics,” LSA 2019). Co-applicant, with Rusty Barrett
2019 Professional Development Grant, Center for Professional and Graduate Student Diversity &
…………………… Inclusion, University of Kentucky
2019 Graduate Student Travel Award, Graduate Student Congress, University of Kentucky
2018 Inclusive Excellence Student Programming Grant, Office of Inclusion and Diversity, University of
…………………… Kentucky (for the University of Kentucky speaker series “Language, Religion, and Sexuality:
…………………… Let’s Talk About It!)
2018 Travel Grant, Linguistics Department, University of Kentucky
2018 Teacher Development Grant, LADO International Institute
2016 SPSF Grant, University of Tennessee Student Programming Allocation Committee (for the
…………………… lecture “Pronoun Showdown: Gender Neutrality and Gender-Neutral Pronouns in Language,”
……………………. UTK Student Linguistics Association)
2013-2017 Patsy & Frank Borthick Award, Scholarship, University of Tennessee
2013-2017 Charles W. Costello Award, Scholarship, University of Tennessee
Teaching Experience____________________________________________________________________________________
University of Kentucky
2020 Instructor of Record, WRD 111: Composition and Communications II, ‘Linguistic Landscapes
…………………… and (Digital) Social Spaces’ (2 sections)
2019 Instructor of Record, WRD 110: Composition and Communication I, ‘Exploring Oral Histories’ (2
…………………… sections)
2018-2019 Graduate Writing Consultant, Robert E. Hemingway Writing Center
LADO International Institute
2017-2018 English Second Language Instructor (Upper Level), Washington DC Campus
University of Tennessee
2016-2017 Adult English Second Language Instructor, University Assisted Community Schools Program
Research Experience____________________________________________________________________________________
Humboldt University of Berlin
2020 -2021 Doctoral Research Fellow, Collaborative Research Center 1412, ‘Register: Language Users’
…………………… Knowledge of Situational-Functional Variation’, Humboldt University of Berlin and Leibniz-
…………………… Centre General Linguistics
University of Kentucky
2019 Research Fellowship, LGBTQIA Rights, Linguistics, and Kentucky Church Discourse, Center for
…………………… Equality and Social Justice
2019 Archival Digitization Transcriptionist, Linguistic Atlas of the Middle and South Atlantic States
…………………… (LAMSAS), Linguistic Atlas Project
Independent Scholar
2017-2018 Independent Researcher, Various Projects, Washington, DC
University of Tennessee
2015-2016 Research Assistant, Supervisor: Thorsten Huth, IDP Linguistics Program,
Academic Talks_________________________________________________________________________________________
Invited Talks, Lectures, and Colloquia
2020 The Voice and Silence of Divinity: A Socio-Cognitive Linguistic Approach to Religious Violence.
…………………… Invited Lecture, Abralin Live – Linguists Online, Brazilian Linguistics Association
2019 Pronoun Pandemonium: The 2015 Tennessee Pronoun Crisis in Retrospect. Invited Seminar,
…………………… 2019 OUTstanding LGBTQ+ Conference, University of Tennessee
2019 Building CVs and Resumes: On and Off the Page. Invited Seminar, National Association for
…………………… Graduate-Professional Students Midwest Regional Conference and the co-convening University
…………………… of Kentucky Graduate School Leaders Symposium, University of Kentucky
2019 Personal Reflections on Bridging the Divide. Plenary Panel, Tennessee LGBT+ College
……………………. Conference, Middle Tennessee State University
2019 Graduate Mentoring. Panel, COSIAC Panel on Mentoring. 93rd Annual Meeting of the Linguistic
…………………… Society of America. New York, New York
2018 The State of Tennessee and the Kingdom of God: Theo-Political Ideologies, Systems of
…………………… Violence, and the Path to Disarmament. Invited Seminar, 2018 OUTstanding LGBTQ+
……………………. Conference, University of Tennessee
Panel Papers
2020 Linguistics Out of the Closet: Comments on a Discipline’s Anxiety. Panel, A Queer(ed) Science
…………………… of Language: Contemporary Perspectives. Ao Vivo – Linguists Online, Brazilian Linguistics
…………………… Association, Linguistic Society of America. Abralin.
2019 The Queer Reformation and its Dissidents: Metaphors of Gender and Sexuality in Tennessee
…………………… Theo-Political Ideology. Panel, New Directions in LGBTQ+ Linguistics: Commemorating the LSA
…………………… Special Interest Group on LGBTQ+ Issues in Linguistics. 93rd Annual Meeting of the Linguistic
…………………… Society of America. New York, New York
Panel Discussant & Roundtable Participant
2020 Panel Discussant. Toward an Intersectional Linguistics. 94th Annual Meeting of the Linguistic
…………………… Society of America. New Orleans, Louisiana
2020 Panel Discussant. Queer and Trans Digital Modalities. 94th Annual Meeting of the Linguistic
…………………… Society of America. New Orleans, Louisiana
Refereed Conference Papers
2020 Hetero-Cistoriographies of Language Science as Constituted Through Strong Descriptivist
…………………… Genres. Central Kentucky Linguistics Conference. University of Kentucky.
2020 Queer and Trans Futures in Southern Linguistics. (with Brent Watts). 87th Annual Southeastern
……………………. Conference on Linguistics. Oxford, Mississippi
2019 On the Abdication of Morality Common to the Ethics of Descriptive Linguistics. 86th Annual
……………………. Southeastern Conference on Linguistics. Boca Raton, Florida
2019 Fostering Discourse and Dialogue: Mitigating Anti-LGBTQ+ Religious Violence on College
…………………… Campuses. Tennessee LGBT+ College Conference, Middle Tennessee State University
2019 Resistance and Reconciliation: Religious Violence and Queer Faith. Women and Gender Studies
……………………. Conference: Creating Global Change, Middle Tennessee State University
2019 Blended Experiential Domains: An Argument for Phenomenologically Complex Metaphor in
…………………… Religious Discourse. Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Commission for the Study of
…………………… Religion, East Carolina University
2019 Transcriptivism: An Ethical Framework for Modern Linguistics. 93rd Annual Meeting of the
…………………… Linguistic Society of America. New York, New York
2018 The Problems and Possibilities of Religious Metaphor: A Case Study in the Religious Rhetoric
…………………… of Gender in Tennessee Politics. with Brent Kibbey. Religious Rhetoric in the 21st Century:
…………………… Possibilities, Publics, and Partnerships, University of Tennessee
2018 Hurricanes and Homosexuality: Theo-Political Metaphor Systems of Natural Disasters in the
…………………… United States. 2nd Annual Kentucky Gender and Women’s Studies Conference, University of
…………………… Kentucky
2018 Towards a Conceptual Metaphor Theory of Religion: Amending Conceptual Metaphor Theory.
…………………… Metaphor Festival, Universiteit van Amsterdam
2018 The Varieties of Religious Metaphor: Applying Conceptual Metaphor Theory to Religious
…………………… Language. 63rd Annual Meeting of the International Linguistics Association, St. John’s
…………………… University, New York.
2017 Being Marked with the Cross: An Analysis of Crusader Metaphors in Da’esh English Language
…………………… Periodicals. Metaphor Festival, Universiteit van Amsterdam
2017 Metaphorical Structures in Brass Teaching: An Analysis of Brass Instructional Literature
…………………… Toward an Understanding of Tone Quality. with Phillip Wadley. Look Both Ways: Narrative and
…………………… Metaphor in Education Conference, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam
2017 The Kingdom and the Republic: Complex Metaphorical Structures in Southern Baptist Political
……………………. Thought. 84th Annual Southeastern Conference on Linguistics. College of Charleston, South
……………………. Carolina
2017 To Lose a Language is to Lose a Soul: A Multilingual Approach to ESL. Interdisciplinary
……………………. Perspectives on Refugees, Displacement, and Resettlement: A UT Conference and Workshop,
…………………… University of Tennessee
2016 Where is the Metaphor in a Word: An Analysis of the Lexical Unit in Metaphor Studies. 3rd
…………………… Annual University of Georgia Linguistics Conference, University of Georgia, Athens
2016 Sovereignty Metaphors in Southern Baptists Rhetoric: An Analysis of Conceptual Metaphors in
…………………… Westboro Baptists and Pleasant Valley Baptist Church Sermons. Metaphor Festival, Universiteit
…………………… van Amsterdam
2016 Sovereignty Metaphors in Southern Baptists Rhetoric: An Analysis of Conceptual Metaphors in
…………………… Westboro Baptists and Pleasant Valley Baptist Church Sermons. 7th Annual Undergraduate
…………………… Research Symposium, University of Tennessee
2016 Pronouns and Thoughts on Neutrality: Gender Concerns in Modern English. 7th Annual
……………………. Undergraduate Research Symposium, University of Tennessee
Conference Posters
2020 Faith and Death in the Andamans: Religious Metaphor in the Journal of an American
…………………… Missionary. 2nd Annual Spring Meeting of the Society of Linguistic Anthropology, University of
……………………. Colorado Boulder
2019 Soli Deo Gloria: Constructions of Christian Imperialism in the Journal of John Allen Chau. 7th
……………………. Annual Central Kentucky Linguistics Conference, University of Kentucky
2019 The Kingdom and the Republic: Sovereignty Metaphors in the Opening Prayers of the 115th
…………………… United States Congress. Annual Meeting of the American Dialect Society, New York, New York
2017 Crusader Jets and Kingdom Come: An Examination of the Crusade Metaphor Across Socio-
…………………… Cultural Contexts. 92nd Annual Meeting of the Linguistic Society of America. Salt Lake City,
…………………… Utah
2017 Religious Metaphor and Blended Experiential Domains in Early Christian, Old English Poetry.
……………………. 2017 Linguistic Institute, University of Kentucky
Webinars and Virtual Colloquia
2020 Root-Rot: Comments on a Rootedness Metric in Relation to Queer Community. Approaching a
……………………. Queer Dialectology, University of Kentucky Webinar.
2019 LGBTQ+ Issues in Linguistics. Linguistic Society of America Webinar. with Kirby Conrod and
…………………… Jeremy Calder
Media Mentions and Consultations
2020 Moises Mendez. The Problem with Calling HIV-Negative People ‘Clean’: How a Metaphor for
………………………… Living without HIV/AIDS Hurts the Poz Community. MEL Magazine.
Organized Events_______________________________________________________________________________________
Panels
2020 A Queer(ed) Science of Language: Contemporary Perspectives. Ao Vivo – Linguists Online,
…………………… Brazilian Linguistics Association, Linguistic Society of America. Abralin.
2020 From Memes to Mythos: Digital Co-Creation of Queer and Trans Identity. 2nd Annual Spring
…………………… Meeting of the Society of Linguistic Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder
2020 Queer and Trans Digital Modalities. co-organized with Lal Zimman. 94th Annual Meeting of the
……………………. Linguistic Society of America, New Orleans, Louisiana
2020 Toward an Intersectional Linguistics. co-organized with Rusty Barrett, Tracey Weldon, and
…………………… Melissa Baese-Berk. 94th Annual Meeting of the Linguistic Society of America, New Orleans
…………………… Louisiana
2019 New Directions in LGBTQ+ Linguistics: Commemorating the LSA Special Interest Group on
……………………. LGBTQ+ Issues in Linguistics. co-organized with Rusty Barrett. 93rd Annual Meeting of the
……………………. Linguistic Society of America. New York, New York
Workshops
2020 Advancing LGBTQ+ Issues and Diversity Within the Academy. with Rusty Barrett. 2nd Annual
……………………. Spring Meeting of the Society of Linguistic Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder
2020 LGBTQIA Rights, Linguistics, and Kentucky Church Discourse. Center for Equality and Social
…………………… Justice, University of Kentucky
2019 Advancing LGBTQ+ Issues in Linguistics and Beyond: Outreach and Advocacy. with Lal
……………………. Zimman. 2019 Linguistics Institute, UC Davis
2019 Student Ambassadors Program: LSA Professional Development. 2019 Linguistics Institute, UC
…………………… Davis
University Events
2019 Language, Religion, and Sexuality: Let’s Talk About It! Speaker series, funded by the University
……………………. of Kentucky’s Office of Inclusion and Diversity, Inclusive Excellence Program Grant
2016 Pronoun Showdown: Gender Neutrality and Gender-Neutral Pronouns in Language. Lecture
……………………. with guest speaker Dr. Dennis Baron, UTK Student Linguistics Association. co-organized with
……………………. Brandon Darr. funded by a University of Tennessee SPSF Grants
2016-2017 Linguistics Professionalization Workshop Series, UTK Student Linguistics Association,
……………………. University of Tennessee
Webinars and Series
2020 Committee on LGBTQ+ [Z] Issues in Linguistics Summer & Fall 2020 Webinar Series, Linguistic
…………………… Society of America, University of Kentucky, University of Washington, University of Colorado
……………………. Boulder, Florida Atlantic University
2020 Approaching a Queer Dialectology. University of Kentucky Webinar, with Bryce McCleary and
…………………… Jarrett Hopewell.
2019 LGBTQ+ Issues in Linguistics. Linguistic Society of America Webinar. with Kirby Conrod and
…………………… Jeremy Calder
Service_________________________________________________________________________________________________
To The Profession
2020 Member, Ad Hoc Mentoring Advisory Committee, Linguistic Society of America
2019-2021 Chair, Committee on LGBTQ+ Issues in Linguistics, Linguistic Society of America
2019-2020 Co-Coordinator, LSA Student Ambassador Program, Linguistic Society of America
2019 Project Co-Developer, LSA Student Ambassador Program, Linguistic Society of America
2018 Member, Ad Hoc Committee on Webinar Development, Linguistic Society of America
2018-2020 Member, Committee on Student Issues and Concerns, Linguistic Society of America
2018 Social Media Consultant, Contracted for 2018 Annual Meeting, Linguistic Society of America
2018-2019 Co-Convener, Special Interest Group on LGBTQ+ Issues in Linguistics, Linguistic Society of
…………………… America
2017-2018 Intern (Fall/Spring), Linguistic Society of America
2015-2018 Lead Organizer, Special Interest Group on LGBTQ+ Issues in Linguistics Organizational
……………………. Meetings and Communications, Linguistic Society of America
To the Department & Institution
2019-2020 Founding Member, Linguistics Graduate Student Association, University of Kentucky
2019-2020 Member, External Affairs Committee, Graduate Student Congress, University of Kentucky
2019-2020 Advisory Participant, Organizing Committee, Central Kentucky Linguistics Conference,
…………………… University of Kentucky
2019 Writing Consultant, Summer 2019 Thesis & Dissertation Writing Camp, Graduate School,
…………………… University of Kentucky
2019 Member, Student Philanthropy Board, Center for Student Philanthropy, University of Kentucky
2018-2020 Student Affiliate, Center for Equality and Social Justice, University of Kentucky
2018-2019 Graduate Student Representative, Linguistics, Graduate Student Congress, University of
……………………. Kentucky
2016-2017 Humanities and Social Sciences Reviewer, Pursuit: Journal of Undergraduate Research,
……………………. University of Tennessee
2016-2017 Academic Support Specialist I, University Assisted Community Schools Program, University of
…………………… Tennessee
2015-2016 Student Assistant, IDP Linguistic Program, University of Tennessee
2014-2017 President and Founding Member, UTK Student Linguistics Association, University of
…………………… Tennessee
2014-2016 President, Global Studies Club, University of Tennessee
To the Queer & Trans Community
2019-2020 Member, Conference Advisory Board for the 2020 LGBT+ College Conference at Middle
…………………… Tennessee State University
2019 Organizer, Interfaith Panel on Religion and LGBTQ+ Identity, University of Kentucky
Professional, Administrative, and Diversity Consultancy
2020 LGBT+ Professional Learning Community, TESOL International Association
Professional Memberships______________________________________________________________________________
Linguistic Society of America (Lifetime Member), Association for Researching and Applying Metaphor, American Dialect Society, National Organization for Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals, Society of Linguistic Anthropology, American Anthropological Association, Association of Queer Anthropology, North American Association for the History of the Language Sciences, Southeastern Conference on Linguistics
News Media Publications
Opinion-Editorials
Kibbey, T. (28.07.2020). Self-Isolating from International Students is a Costly Distraction. The Portland Sun,
……………………….. Opinions.
