Debate over Creole language topic of Poynter Lecture

John McWhorter, a writer and associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, will speak at Yale on Thursday, Feb. 27 as a Poynter Fellow in Journalism.

McWhorter will give a talk titled “Is the Creole Prototype Hypothesis a Mistake? Assessing the Debate Over Whether Creoles are a Synchronic Type of Language” at 4 p.m. at Rosenfeld Hall, Rm. 109, 109 Grove St. The event is free and open to the public.

During the course of his career, McWhorter has researched a wide range of topics. Recently he has focused on language contact and change, while also studying issues of race and ethnicity in society and culture. His books include “All About the Beat: Why Hip Hop Can’t Save Black America” and “Losing the Race. “

In addition to teaching, McWhorter has also written work for publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The National Review and appeared on many TV and radio shows, such as “Fresh Air” and “Meet the Press.”

The Poynter Fellowship in Journalism was established by Nelson Poynter, who received his master’s degree in 1927 from Yale. The fellowship brings to campus journalists from a wide variety of media outlets who have made significant contributions to their field. Among recent Poynter fellow are Jill Abramson, Nathaniel Rich, and James Bennet.