Linguistics is not only about learning an additional language. It encompasses much broader and more complex topics, phenomena and problems.
Joshua Renaldo arrived at ANU with a specific goal: to study forensic linguistics and bring that knowledge home to Indonesia. As he progressed through the Master of General and Applied Linguistics, that plan did not disappear. Instead, his understanding of the field grew wider.
Growing up in multilingual Indonesia, Joshua was exposed to Indonesian, English, Mandarin and Teochew (Cháozhōuhuà) from an early age. His interest in language eventually led him to linguistics and, more specifically, to the ways language can be examined in legal and investigative settings.
He moved to Canberra in February 2025, drawn to ANU by its research expertise in forensic linguistics and Australia’s proximity to Indonesia.
Once the degree began, Joshua found that his training extended well beyond the specialisation that first brought him to ANU. He learned to analyse the sounds and structures of unfamiliar languages, examine how people acquire additional languages and use research technologies to investigate real-world linguistic questions.
Rather than drawing him away from forensic linguistics, this broader training showed him how different areas of the discipline can inform one another.
That connection now shapes his own research. Drawing on his previous studies in English literature, Joshua is exploring how a corpus – a large, searchable collection of texts – can be used to identify patterns in literary language.
Two courses played an important part in developing his research skills: Grammar of the World’s Languages and Second Language Acquisition.
The first taught him how linguists can work out the grammatical structure of a language without already speaking it. The second introduced him to the processes and social factors that influence how people learn an additional language. Both included substantial research assessments and took Joshua into areas he had not previously studied.
“I was able to learn much more than I first expected,” he says.
Outside the classroom, Joshua has been involved with the ANU Indonesian Students’ Association. Through the association, he has made friends, taken part in events with the Indonesian Embassy and helped introduce Indonesian culture to wider audiences in Canberra.
After completing his degree, Joshua plans to return to Indonesia and become a lecturer. He also hopes to research how languages are used across the country, drawing on the methods and perspectives he has developed at ANU.
His time in Canberra has not changed his original interest in forensic linguistics. It has given him a broader idea of what he can do with it – and of the many other questions a linguist can learn to ask.
