Hong Kong Linguistics Olympiad (HKLO)

Organizing Committee

Chair of the Organizing Committee
Prof. Huang, Chu-Ren, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Standing members (in alphabetical order of last names)
Prof. Ahrens, Kathleen, Department of English, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Prof. Chan, Shui Duen, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Prof. Cummings, Louise, Department of English, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Dr. Chen, Si, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Prof. Li, Chor Shing David, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Ms. Lim, Juyoung, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Prof. Lu, Qin, Department of Computing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Dr. Lee, Po Lun Peppina, Department of Linguistics and Translation, City University of Hong Kong
Mr. Pan, Tung-Le, Silver Medalist in the Individual Contest of International Linguistics Olympiad in 2018
Dr. Tay, Dennis, Department of English, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Dr. Yao, Yao, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Ms. Yen, Jennifer, Parent representative

Sponsoring units
• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Communications and Public Affairs Office, PolyU
• Faculty of Humanities, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Department of Chinese Bilingual Studies, PolyU
• Department of English, PolyU
• Department of Computing, PolyU
• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University-Peking University Research Centre on Chinese Linguistics (RP2U2)
• Research Centre for Professional Communication in English (RCPCE)
• Hong Kong Academy of the Humanities (HKAH)
• The Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK)
• Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR)

What is the HKLO?
Hong Kong has been accredited by the Board of International Linguistics Olympiad! The Hong Kong Linguistics Olympiad (HKLO) is a contest for secondary school students in solving linguistic puzzles. These puzzles require only logical ability, patient work and the willingness to accept challenges. No prior knowledge of linguistics or second languages is required. Students can learn more about the knowledge of world languages and improve their abilities of observation, logic and awareness of diversity while solving problems involving language data. Everyone is welcome to give it a try and explore the wondrous realm of language and experience its gems. The working language for HKLO is English. The working language of IOL (International Linguistics Olympiad) and APLO (Asia Pacific Linguistics Olympiad) can be chosen by individual contestants (English/Chinese). Participants who are eligible for linguistic Olympiads in other nations/regions (in addition to Hong Kong) cannot compete in multiple contests each year. Participants need to choose to partake only in HKLO or one of the other they are eligible for.

How did the HKLO come about?
The first Olympiad competition in linguistics held for secondary school students took place in 1965 in Moscow, thanks to the efforts of Alfred Zhurinsky (1938 - 1991). Thereafter, other than Russia, a number of countries and states, including Bulgaria, Oregon in the US, and the Netherlands, all hosted similar events. As more and more players participated in competitions all around the world, the concept of an International Olympiad in Linguistics came into being in 2002, with the first IOL being held in 2003 in Bulgaria. Countries that participated include Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, the Netherlands, and Russia. Starting in 2003, the International Olympiad in Linguistics was held annually in different cities, and the number of participating countries and participating students gradually increased.
According to the regulations of the IOL, each participating nation must hold a nationwide competition to select participants. On the basis of these regulations, we work to establish the first Hong Kong Linguistics Olympiad (HKLO) in 2019. How many HKLOs will be held in the future? And will we continue? We don't know yet. Therefore, if you have any interest at all, take action now and register! Don't be shy -- join us now!

Online column 【語奧探知】 at Wen Hui Bao:

Wen Hui Bao version:
20190912 Load words: http://paper.wenweipo.com/2019/09/12/ED1909120011.htm
20190927 Mongolian letters: http://paper.wenweipo.com/2019/09/27/ED1909270009.htm
20191011 Word order: http://paper.wenweipo.com/2019/10/11/ED1910110008.htm
20191025 Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: http://paper.wenweipo.com/2019/10/25/ED1910250009.htm
20191108 Morphology and Word Formation http://paper.wenweipo.com/2019/11/08/ED1911080010.htm
20191128 What makes both ‘I’ and ‘me’ representing the same word in Chinese? http://paper.wenweipo.com/2019/11/28/ED1911280010.htm
20191213 Some Semantics http://paper.wenweipo.com/2019/12/13/ED1912130012.htm
20191216 Some Semantics http://paper.wenweipo.com/2019/12/16/ED1912160008.htm
20200103 Pame and Its Octonary Number System http://paper.wenweipo.com/2020/01/03/ED2001030010.htm
http://paper.wenweipo.com/2020/01/03/ED2001030012.htm
20200117 Tibetic languages http://paper.wenweipo.com/2020/01/17/ED2001170012.htm
20200612 The Tibetan script http://paper.wenweipo.com/2020/06/12/ED2006120005.htm

Full/Bilingual version: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Jr3ThFCcJm9Kem_v0P0eSfwn8boI-1qj

How do I participate?
Registration for HKLO2021: https://forms.gle/xoYsAxstvx3cB7HCA

國際語言學奧林匹克競賽簡介
國際語言學奧林匹克競賽 (IOL) 是屬於全世界中學生的 12 項國際學科競賽之一。從 2003 年開始， IOL 每年在不同國家輪流舉辦。比賽的題目內容，不需要妳/你懂多國語言，或是深奧的語言學知識，而是語言的結構分析，邏輯推理，模式的細心觀察。

香港選拔賽簡介
香港語言學奧林匹克選拔賽 (Hong Kong Linguistics Olympiad, 簡稱 HKLO）是一項給中學生的語言謎題解題競賽。競賽試題僅需以邏輯推理能力、耐心以及持續思考的意願來解題，語言學相關的先備知識或是第二外語都不是必要的。香港語言學奧林匹克選拔賽的官方語言是英語。而在國際語言學奧林匹克競賽及亞洲語言學奧林匹克競賽中，參賽者可以選擇中文或者英文。参赛者每人當年度以參加1項語言學奧林匹克競賽為限，不得跨國家或地區參賽。

香港選拔賽參賽資格
中一到中六之在學學生。

香港語言學奧林匹克競賽2021線上報名: https://forms.gle/xoYsAxstvx3cB7HCA

Problems and results:
APLO2020
problem https://aplo.asia/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/aplo-2020-prob.en_.pdf
solution: https://aplo.asia/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/aplo-2020-sol.en_.pdf
result: https://aplo.asia/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/APLO2020_results.pdf
HKLO2020
result: https://bit.ly/389WUC7)
APLO2019
problemhttps://aplo.asia/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/aplo-2019-prob.en_.pdf
solution: https://aplo.asia/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/aplo-2019-sol.en_.pdf
result: https://urlzs.com/4BXEo
HKLO2019
problem: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14bDULRCns1pLOoWj7DS5katgqLxsGTFr/view?usp=sharing
solution:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fOrMMoNWtbYaAXSUwjpfuC9G4Y_Wh2XH/view?usp=sharing
result: https://bit.ly/2YW8NXC

Press coverage:
• Sing Tao Daily
http://std.stheadline.com/daily/article/detail/1976848/日報-教育-港首屆語奧比賽周日舉行
• Wenweipo
http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2019/03/20/a21-0320.pdf
• Wenweipo
http://paper.wenweipo.com/2019/04/16/ED1904160008.htm?fbclid=IwAR0LGjaRgTD4RZgkY0omkRm449Ujd7-kcExZbhmEBnsQen_IUYWUwtQI7OQ

Other Links:
HKLO Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Hong-Kong-Linguistics-Olympiad-HKLO-763434627350476/
International Linguistics Olympiad: http://www.ioling.org/
International Linguistics Olympiad - 2019: https://iol2019.com/
Asia Pacific Linguistics Olympiad: https://www.aplo.asia/
Hong Kong Linguistics Olympiad: https://polyu.hk/amuVS
Hong Kong Linguistics Olympiad Tutorial materials: https://bit.ly/2U6i8t3

If you have any questions, please contact hklinguisticsolympiad@gmail.com