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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

How To Kill A Language mentioned on the Number 1 podcast in the UK!!!!!! “Absolutely beautiful” from Alastair Campbell, as he chats to Michael Gove on The Rest Is Politics.

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

having a very busy autumn - whether it’s for my book or my consulting, I might be near you! And my early 2027 is already filling up too!!!

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Put on my big business pants this week at the end of this summer’s Goalhanger Accelerator, pitching my next language show as well as tech tool 🔥

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Jam @jamandbeeceramics.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Absolutely love it. #currentlyreading #booksky

HOW TO
KILL A
LANGUAGE
Power, Resistance, and the
Race to Save Our Words
SOPHIA
SMITH
GALER

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

as thrilling as it is to be a coveted black market purchase, don’t buy my book on eBay. Scammers have stolen the PDF and plastered inaccurate, AI generated content all over it, including fake blurbs.

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Lingthusiasm @lingthusiasm.com · 18/09/2026

Narratives about smaller languages often focus on the death side, but there's less on why this happens and how communities are fighting back In this episode we get enthusiastic with @sophiasgaler.bsky.social about her new book, How to Kill a Language soundcloud.com/lingthusiasm...

soundcloud.com

120: How (not) to kill a language - Interview with Sophia Smith Galer

Narratives about smaller languages often focus on the death and endangerment sides of the story. There's generally less on the social and political reasons why some languages are favoured at the expen

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anliathanach.bsky.social @anliathanach.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

, and the sense of belonging in a community in a changing and often hostile world, but it's also so warm, hopeful, and deeply personal. A wonderful book that I could not put down. @sophiasgaler.bsky.social

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anliathanach.bsky.social @anliathanach.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Finally got around to reading this on my holidays. How to kill a language is a fantastic piece of work. I haven't tabbed or annotated a book this much in years. It's informative and highlights big social issues, and the questions and senses of our own identities, both personal and communal

A copy of How to kill a Language by Sophia Smith Gaer on a black table. The book is HEAVILY tabbed. There is a pen beneath it.

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

hi, how do I ever get over the fact R.F. Kuang is READING MY BOOK?!

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

The most flatulent address I’ve ever seen sadly has nothing to do with farting. Butts were targets used for archery practice, and a wynd is a narrow road. Whether said archers bumtooted is besides the point.

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Something is Being Born @nabelew.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

grabbed a copy at @powells.bsky.social and the cashier said “I got so excited and curious when this came in because I’m trying to learn my family’s language” so I gave them an @e-l-p.bsky.social button and we both had a pleasant transaction 😌

Copy of How to Kill a Language by Sophia Smith Galer

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Something is Being Born @nabelew.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Go check out @geraldroche.bsky.social's review of @sophiasgaler.bsky.social's "How to Kill a Language" for a surgical dissection of the history of language oppression denialism, clear and informed reminders of its political nature, and a buncha links to good research (incl. by @chirila.bsky.social):

theconversation.com

Languages are disappearing, and the problem is political

Language loss is often a reluctant choice made to escape violence, not a willing choice made to gain benefits.

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

The New Yorker saga about my book How To Kill A Language continues with one hell of an awful letter, written in by an American now living in Ireland. The second last sentence is…incredible.

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The Brian Lehrer Show @thebrianlehrershow.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

UK-based journalist @sophiasgaler.bsky.social talks about what's lost when a language dies. Listen: wnyc.org/browse/shows...

wnyc.org

Why to Save a Language | WNYC

Sophia Smith Galer talks about what's lost when a language dies.

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Gerald Roche @geraldroche.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

I'm really grateful for this generous review of my book, The Politics of Language Oppression in Tibet, from Samar Sinha from Sikkim University. Link to follow below for anyone who would like to read the full review, which includes some good critical engagement with my arguments.

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

hey you know what would wind up everyone who thinks it’s sometimes ok for languages they don’t speak to die? making How To Kill A Language a bestseller 👀

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

I am trying to shut up about the New Yorker review of my book, because I believe that when you write and publish a book it doesn't belong to you anymore, but its readers. That view also means I accept critics taking their shots. What I will say...

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Amalia Skilton @amaliaskilton.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

I am going to assign this article alongside Davis (2017) in my language revitalization class because it’s such a textbook example of ignorant, fallacious and colonial discourses about Indigenous langs.

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Bridge Chase @bchasemadethis.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

No one does it better than @nabelew.bsky.social. Excellent thread breaking down terrible arguments re: language reclamation. While this article is by no means 'journalism' I will once again beg publications to review our guide for writing about language 'endangerment': tinyurl.com/languagejour... 🗞️

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Something is Being Born @nabelew.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

The arguments against language reclamation haven't changed much in the nearly 20 years I've been working in this field: "It costs too much." "People are choosing to abandon their languages, so let them." "They have no practical use." "It's just sentimental nostalgia." Fuck All That, a thread:

newyorker.com

Sometimes It’s O.K. to Let a Language Die

When cultural preservation comes at the expense of speakers’ decisions, sometimes it's O.K. to let a language die.

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Niwlen Scare 👻 @niwlenster.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Over-optimistic is the only way to be about linguicide, I reckon. It takes that kind of obsessive belief in a better world.

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

there is a MAHOOSIVE review in the New Yorker about my book (!!!!!) in which my writing is variously described as powerful but over-optimistic. I'll take it - because I've got a conversation about linguicide and what it means to lose and mourn a language iN THE NEW YORKER!!!

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Reform UK want to ban foreign language campaigning in elections. Unrelated, workshopping some Italian slogans for Count Binface.

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Samira Verhees @smrms.toot.community.ap.brid.gy · 28/05/2026

After reading an interview with the author, I bought "How to kill a language" by Sophia Smith Galer. I must admit, it's starting off strong. #linguistics #language #multilingualism

Author's note at the beginning of the book, which reads: "You will notice when reading this book that words in other languages besides English are not italicized. This is because these words needn't be highlighted as being distinctive or other, and languages needn't be compartmentalized from each other. In this book, the words all belong to the multilingual speakers I interviewed, and they represent the only point that I really want to emphasize: that all languages belong to all of us."

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mark thompson @markposts.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Just finished 'How to kill a language' by Sophia Smith Galer. Great book

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R.D. Pohl @rdpohl.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

The extinction of a spoken language is the extinction of a form of life. This is an excerpt from How to Kill a Language: Power, Resistance, and the Race to Save Our Words by Sophia Smith Galer.

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Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

This is absolutely shameful - from both Tice and the Telegraph

Tice, via lawyers, threatened to injunct the Guardian to stop it publishing these details.

Without responding to any of the questions put to him, Tice then appears to have shared the allegations contained in the Guardian’s requests for comment with the Telegraph, which wrote them up without credit or contact ahead of publication.
Quote
Anna Isaac
@Annaisaac
·
1h
Exclusive: More Reform UK transactions worth millions reported to National Crime Agency

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Samuel George @samuelgeorge.tv · 08/07/2026

Just suggested How to Kill a Language by @sophiasgaler.bsky.social to City of Sydney libraries, really hoping they stock 🤞🏻

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

The news is out: I’m part of Goalhanger’s inaugural Creator Accelerator :) “The Accelerator treats creators as founders, providing funding, strategic support, mentorship and access to the editorial, production, commercial and audience-building expertise within Goalhanger’s network.”

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

away for work and had to swing by here, heard the algae’s great this time of year

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

How To Kill A Language is officially a best summer read from the FT! I can't believe it

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

we all have our complaints about Instagram but I posted to my stories 12 hours ago I’d signed copies of my book I found in Paris and 🥹

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Who speaks in more languages, Rosalía in Lux or me in How To Kill A Language? To celebrate my birthday…I found out hehe

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

The best feeling in the world. Signing books for the third sold out night this week for How To Kill A Language

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Andrew Hill @andrewtghill.ft.com · 19/05/2026

A "profound and often tragic" story of language extinction and preservation - my FT review of @sophiasgaler.bsky.social's beautiful and moving new book as.ft.com/r/0eaf8f40-d...

as.ft.com

How to Kill a Language — the beauty and value of linguistic diversity

Sophia Smith Galer’s moving book is a rallying call to revive minority tongues amid increasing globalisation

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

My podcast Word For Word a pick of the week in the Radio Times ♥️ An entirely independent production. I’m so proud.

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

I did work experience stacking shelves in the languages section at Foyles when I was 16. 15 years later, Foyles has recommended my book on linguicide as a May read, put it in the window, and built a whole installation for it 🥹😭

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Fiona Flores Watson @fionafloreswatson.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Now on Today programme BBC Radio 4 @sophiasgaler.bsky.social talking about her new book on the death of languages.

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

catch me on the Today programme VERY soon where I’m on to talk about my new book!

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Incredible - How To Kill A Language is book of the week in the Sunday Times 😭

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

"One good book can lead to another," said John McWhorter in his New York Times column. Turns out the book...was mine!? 🥺 I wonder what his linguistic opinion of the expression 'screaming crying throwing up' is, but that's what's going on this morning

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John Gallagher @earlymodernjohn.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

I'm in the New Statesman today with a review of Sophia Smith Galer"s How To Kill A Language — a powerful and important book on a world being reshaped by linguicide. www.newstatesman.com/culture/book...

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

know an Italian speaker in London? send them our way 🍷

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Does anything strike more terror than the phrase "the Telegraph has just reviewed your book?" Before my heart rate caused me any further problems, I read 4/5 stars and saw these two paragraphs. I am so happy.

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Thrilled with today’s review of my book in New Statesman. How To Kill A Language is “a necessary book, with a message that English speakers need to hear.”

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Sophia Smith Galer @sophiasgaler.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

I read all my book reviews because, yes, I’m insane. This morning, I was insane *and* happy.

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