Established in 2022, Yarning (formerly the 'Defence Linguist Magazine') is the official language and culture magazine published primarily for the information and entertainment of Defence personnel and their families. Articles focus on language, linguistic experiences, and the intersections of culture and communication. Defence personnel are highly encouraged to contribute, and submissions from people external to Defence are also welcome. Yarning is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December each year.
Yarning Submission Guidelines Yarning Submission Form Yarning Editorial Staff
May 2023 Edition
Features
- Can we solve the issue of gender-fair language? – This edition's column explores the benefits and challenges of addressing the lack of gender-neutral terms in modern-day languages.
- More than just learning the lingo – Participants at the recent Defence Linguist Conference learned there’s more to different cultures than just words and phrases.
- All day every day, linguists in Thailand – Gain deeper insights into life in an overseas posting through the experiences of two Army linguists in Thailand.
- DFSL on the world stage – Anya Ivanova discusses her recent US trip to present at the Bureau for International Language Coordination, and subsequent tour of the Defense Language Institute.
- Code-switching: Nothing to do with cryptography – Barack Obama, Michelle Yeoh and PSY can all do it - Everything, Everywhere All At Once brings this linguistic phenomenon to the fore.
- Finding beauty in a war-torn language – Pashto – The account of a language learning journey through sport, conflict, and lasting connections.
November 2022 Edition
Features
- Ruscism - Through linguistic creativity born of a bilingual people, Ukrainians create a new word to help navigate the horrors of invasion.
- Under the Eucalyptus - How a one-time German backpacker and an Air Force Officer created a sense of home for the German contingent during Exercise Pitch Black 2022.
- Pitch Black & Country Liaison Officers - Group Captain Peter Wood covers off on Pitch Black 2022 and outlines the vital role which Country Liaison Officers play in ensuring the success of International Engagement activities.
- Achieving 'Native-like' Accentedness - Private Tamsin Smith asks and answers the question of why do second language learners find it difficult to develop the target language accent, and is it possible to achieve ‘native-like’ accentedness?
- The Relationship between Language and Culture - Language plays an integral role in building, maintaining and expressing culture. This article explores the ways in which both of these facets impact how we perceive and interact with the world.
- Attendance on the Royal Thai Navy Command & Staff Course - Commander Paul Pelczar reflects on his personal and professional experiences while attending the Royal Thai Navy Command and Staff Course in 2017/18.
July 2022 Edition
Features
- Defence Language and Culture Portal - A sneak preview of the language and culture resource site, which is due to be launched in November 2022.
- Indigenous Linguists: A compelling argument - Exploration of the capability improvements that would stem from formalising First Nation languages within the ADF linguist space.
- Aboriginal English - An overview of the history, currency, and importance of Aboriginal English.
- An Italian touch on the Australian sky - A look into the career of one of our Italian linguists: a journalist, reservist, small business owner, and former member of the Italian Air Force.
- Ciao from Italy - Discussions regarding some of the learnings and observations from this year's Bureau for International Language Co-ordination (BILC) Conference, held in Italy.