Lizzy Hanks

Linguistics Researcher and Communication Educator

Lizzy Hanks is a linguistics researcher and communication educator based in Tampa, Florida. Lizzy uses corpus methods to research conversation, pragmatics, and vocabulary, and shares content on these topics on social media @lana_linguistics. She also has six years of previous experience teaching English as a second language in Austria, Thailand and the US. Lizzy is an Assistant Professor in the World Language Department at the University of South Florida.

Education

PhD, Applied Linguistics, Northern Arizona University
MA, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Northeastern Illinois University
BA, Linguistics, Brigham Young University

Professional Achievements

Over 20 peer-reviewed linguistics articles
Over 60 professional talks on language and communication, including 20 invited talks and lectures
Featured in international podcasts, blogs, and news articles
Forthcoming books on conversation and vocabulary

Certifications & Organizations

Member of the American Association of Applied Linguistics
Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Favorite Piece of Advice

Language is so much more than just sharing information. Our interactions also help us build meaningful connections by (explicitly or implicitly) conveying our ideas and opinions, feelings, community, desires, and sense of self.

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Co-authored Articles (13)

Words Pronounced Differently Across the US

Which pronunciation of these everyday words do you use?If you hear someone say a word differently than you’re used to, it might be based on where they’re from and what regional accent they have. While it might seem l...

75+ Fun Variations on “See You Later, Alligator”

Plus, find out where “see you later, alligator” came from “See you later, alligator” is more than just a fun way to say goodbye. It’s an invitation to another person to come up with a cute and funny rhyming res...

75+ Popular Midwestern-isms (with Examples)

Only folks from the Midwest will understand these slang wordsAh, the Midwest, also known as America’s Heartland: it’s all cheese, miles of rolling cornfields, and lots of people who say “Ope!” (That’s Midwester...

65+ “F*ck” Synonyms: Appropriate Ways to Say Your Favorite Swear Word

Plus, learn where curse words and “f*ck” came fromAw fudge! We all feel the urge to swear sometimes, but the F-word isn’t exactly something you want to say too loudly in very many situations. If you’re looking fo...

60+ California Lingo & Slang Words: From SoCal to NorCal

Learn surfer slang and Bay Area lingo to blend in with the Cali crowdWhether you’re visiting California or you’ve just moved there, you’ll quickly notice that locals use their fair share of slang. It’s not quite ...

120+ Sick Old-Timey Burns from the Medieval Period & Beyond

Plus, a list of truly rude insults from historical figures Tired of referring to everyone as a "dumb*ss"? Sounds like you could use some new insults—and by ''new'', we mean ''old'', very very ''old''. Like, Victorian-o...

How to

Laugh

You've probably heard that laughter is the best medicine, but did you know that it actually can have physical health benefits? Laughing helps relieve stress and tension, boosts your oxygen intake, and can actually help i...

42 Super Weird English Words You've Probably Never Heard Of

Broaden your vernacular with these strange and wacky English wordsThe English language is full of unique, uncommon, and silly-sounding words to explore. For example, have you ever heard of the term lollygagging? Or, perh...

A Complete Guide to the Top Boston Slang Words & Phrases

Blend in as a Beantown townie with this Massachusetts slang glossaryThrow on your Big Papi jersey and grab your Dunkin iced coffee…we’re headed to Boston! But even if you look like a native Bostonian, how can you ''s...

110+ Funny Hillbilly Isms & Southern Sayings

Weird & wacky redneck lingoA hillbilly “ism” is a popular word, phrase, or saying used by hillbillies, rednecks, and Southerners in general. If you’re from the South, you’ve probably heard most or all of these ph...

100+ Slang Words and Phrases Popular with Real New Yorkers

Fuhgeddaboutit! All this slang will have you talking like a localNew York, New York. The city so nice they named it twice. The Big Apple has a vibrant, dynamic culture, and hot slang tends to come in and out of style… ...

The TikTok Slang Phrase "No Bap" Explained (Plus, Where It Came From)

Learn how to use "no bap" correctly in a sentenceWhat does the new TikTok slang term “no bap” mean? It essentially means the same thing as “no cap” and has gradually become a sort of twin phrase. In this article,...

What Are Irish Twins? Origin, Advantages, & Challenges

Learn how Irish twins compare to actual twinsDo you have two close-in-age siblings who are often referred to as Irish twins? Or, are you confused whenever you hear someone call your kids Irish twins, when you aren’t Ir...