Last month, a team of four talented young linguists from Ireland made their mark on the global stage at the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) held in Brazil. These exceptional students, winners of the ADAPT All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO), demonstrated their prowess in linguistic problem-solving and critical thinking as they competed against champions from 38 countries and territories in both individual and team competitions.
Representing Ireland on this international stage was Dáithí Butler of Coachford College Cork, Eliška Dvořáková of St Kilian’s Deutsche Schule, Patrick Chen of St Gerard’s School Bray and AILO 2024 Champion, Paddy Clancy of St. Vincent’s Castleknock. These students were selected for their exceptional abilities in solving complex linguistic puzzles.
At the Olympiad, participants faced a series of challenging linguistic puzzles that required a blend of lateral thinking, analytical skills and creativity. These puzzles are designed to test the participants’ ability to analyse language data and uncover the underlying “rules” of unfamiliar languages. Paddy Clancy stood out in the competition, earning an honourable mention for his outstanding efforts.
Sample puzzles from the Olympiad can be downloaded at https://ailo.adaptcentre.ie/sample-puzzles/
