Taiwan hosts its 1st International Linguistics Olympiad

台灣舉辦首屆國際語言學奧林匹亞競賽

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The 22nd International Linguistics Olympiad got underway at National Taiwan University on Monday.

During the opening ceremony, Deputy Education Minister Chu Chun-chang (朱俊彰) pointed out that Taiwan is a place rich in linguistic diversity, with languages including Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, and 16 Indigenous languages, CNA reported. Multilingual education is promoted in schools, and the cultural values behind each language are respected, Chiu said.

He encouraged IOL participants to use their analytical and problem-solving skills to help create a better future for the world.

This is the first time Taiwan is hosting the IOL since its establishment in 2003. Contestants use logical reasoning and observations to analyze unfamiliar languages, uncover their structures, and understand their rules and cultural contexts. Nearly 400 people from 43 countries and regions are competing this year.

IOL Taiwan Organizing Chair Chiu Chen-hao (邱振豪) said IOL is a gathering of the world’s top linguistic talents. Chiu hoped that through this event, the world could witness Taiwan’s linguistic diversity and vitality, and that it would inspire young Taiwanese to see all the possibilities in linguistics.

Taiwan first participated in the IOL in 2016 and won gold in the team event in 2017.