Welcome to the time of year when the seas boil, wine turns sour, dogs grow mad, and all creatures become languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies. Here in the Nordic countries, where we all speak English better (and with notably classier accents) than most so-called “native” speakers from North America, linguists fight off the heat-induced phrensies of the rotting months with a tall, cool glass of iced gløgg, and a refreshing, cool new issue of Speculative Grammarian.

SpecGram is one of the most useful linguistics journals around at the hot, moist end of summer: you can fan yourself with it, trade it to a dazed and confused undergrad for a cupful of ice cubes, or burn a big stack of back issues to fuel a portable air conditioner. You could also read it, though I don’t believe that would be particularly helpful with the temperature problem.

As the Senior Nordic and Scandinavian Editor for SpecGram, I’m often asked many things: How many languages do I speak? (Eleventeen.) Are the Scandinavian social programs worth the high taxes? (That is so American to ask that.) What’s the difference between Nordic and Scandinavian? (Buy a vowel, a clue, or an atlas, moron!)

But none of that has any bearing on this issue of SpecGram, just like everything else I’ve said today. So, stay cool, sit back, and enjoy another all-new issue of SpecGram! Or else!

	Letter to the Editor
	SpecGram Vol CLIV, No 4 Contents