Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preliminary Material / R. M. W. Dixon -- A day in the field / R. M. W. Dixon -- What is linguistics? — a journey of discovery / R. M. W. Dixon -- Getting there / R. M. W. Dixon -- Discography, and a bit of fiction / R. M. W. Dixon -- Into the field / R. M. W. Dixon -- Frustration and fulfilment / R. M. W. Dixon -- The role of universities / R. M. W. Dixon -- More lovely fieldwork, and some comparison / R. M. W. Dixon -- The science of linguistics, and other approaches to the study of language / R. M. W. Dixon -- Fijian, English and some novels / R. M. W. Dixon -- Academic standards / R. M. W. Dixon -- The delegate from Tasmania / R. M. W. Dixon -- Into the Amazonian jungle / R. M. W. Dixon -- God and Magog in Brazil / R. M. W. Dixon -- A productive partnership / R. M. W. Dixon -- Living a life / R. M. W. Dixon -- Solutions to problems from the end of Chapter 6 / R. M. W. Dixon -- Bibliography / R. M. W. Dixon -- Index / R. M. W. Dixon -- List of plates / R. M. W. Dixon.

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I am a Linguist provides a fascinating account of the academic adventures of multi-faceted linguist, R.M.W. (Bob) Dixon. There is fieldwork (and lengthy grammars) on Dyirbal, Yidiñ and other Aboriginal languages of Australia, the Boumaa dialect of Fijian, and Jarawara from the dense jungles of Amazonia. Theoretical studies include adjective classes, ergativity and complement clauses. There are also detective novels, science fiction stories, and pioneering work on blues and gospel discography. Interspersed with the autobiographical narrative are explanations of how linguistics is a scientific discipline, of the development of universities, of diminishing academic standards, and of the treatment of Aboriginal people in Australia. The book is written in an easy, accessible style with numerous illustrative anecdotes. It will be an inspiration to young linguists and of interest to the general reader curious about what a scientific linguist does.