What is LaTeX?
LaTeX (also referred to as TeX) is a typesetting program widely used by mathematicians and scientists for professional publishing purposes.
How is this useful for linguists?
There are a number of very useful functions that LaTeX provides linguists, such as: (i) drawing complex trees, diagrams, formulas, and tableaux, (ii) auto-numbering of examples and linking cross-references, and (iii) creating and linking citations and references throughout the document.
Is learning how to use LaTeX difficult?
As you might expect, there's a significant learning curve involved, but you can take (some) solace in the fact that once you have mastered the basics of LaTeX, you can build on this knowledge and engage in more complex type-setting tasks.
Is it worth investing the time to learn LaTeX?
I am by no means an expert in using LaTeX, and would honestly rate myself as having intermediate to intermediate-high skills in creating type-setting documents, and at times the process of improving my LaTeX-skills has been frustrating to say the least. In my personal experience, however, it has been well worth the effort. If you're already used to using Word/Google Docs to write papers, you'll quickly realize that you have to (re)learn an entirely new system and code to perform basic functions. If your primary goal is to write 'pure' text-papers, you'll probably not find LaTeX exceedingly useful.
My personal pitch for LaTeX:
Although it's a matter of personal preference whether you ultimately decide to gain proficiency in LaTeX, one of the immediate benefits is how this knowledge supports Open Access Publishers (such as Language Science Press). Most Open Access Publishers place (much of) the type-setting responsibility on the authors, thus cutting down on the production costs. Simply put, having LaTeX-skills enables you to have more control over your ideas and helps make your research more accessible to a wider array of students and scholars throughout the world. With the ever-growing number of journals that are moving to an OA-format, having proficiency in LaTeX will become increasingly beneficial for linguists in the years to come.
LaTeX (also referred to as TeX) is a typesetting program widely used by mathematicians and scientists for professional publishing purposes.
How is this useful for linguists?
There are a number of very useful functions that LaTeX provides linguists, such as: (i) drawing complex trees, diagrams, formulas, and tableaux, (ii) auto-numbering of examples and linking cross-references, and (iii) creating and linking citations and references throughout the document.
Is learning how to use LaTeX difficult?
As you might expect, there's a significant learning curve involved, but you can take (some) solace in the fact that once you have mastered the basics of LaTeX, you can build on this knowledge and engage in more complex type-setting tasks.
Is it worth investing the time to learn LaTeX?
I am by no means an expert in using LaTeX, and would honestly rate myself as having intermediate to intermediate-high skills in creating type-setting documents, and at times the process of improving my LaTeX-skills has been frustrating to say the least. In my personal experience, however, it has been well worth the effort. If you're already used to using Word/Google Docs to write papers, you'll quickly realize that you have to (re)learn an entirely new system and code to perform basic functions. If your primary goal is to write 'pure' text-papers, you'll probably not find LaTeX exceedingly useful.
My personal pitch for LaTeX:
Although it's a matter of personal preference whether you ultimately decide to gain proficiency in LaTeX, one of the immediate benefits is how this knowledge supports Open Access Publishers (such as Language Science Press). Most Open Access Publishers place (much of) the type-setting responsibility on the authors, thus cutting down on the production costs. Simply put, having LaTeX-skills enables you to have more control over your ideas and helps make your research more accessible to a wider array of students and scholars throughout the world. With the ever-growing number of journals that are moving to an OA-format, having proficiency in LaTeX will become increasingly beneficial for linguists in the years to come.
Getting Started
The links and resources listed below are some recommended essentials for getting starting with using LaTeX. Please do keep in mind that the links provided below are primarily intended for those getting starting with LaTeX and that everyone's goals with learning/using LaTeX will substantially differ based on the goals they ultimately want to accomplish:
The links and resources listed below are some recommended essentials for getting starting with using LaTeX. Please do keep in mind that the links provided below are primarily intended for those getting starting with LaTeX and that everyone's goals with learning/using LaTeX will substantially differ based on the goals they ultimately want to accomplish:
- Tutorial: One of the best introductions to LaTeX is Pedro Matrins' tutorial.
- Overleaf: Overleaf is essentially the LaTeX version of Google Docs, i.e. it's an online LaTeX-editor. If you're new to LaTeX I highly encourage you to use Overleaf for a while before transitioning over to an offline editor. (Note: You probably won't need an Overleaf subscription right away, but if you start using LaTeX more frequently, it's a worthwhile investment.)
- Presentations: I use LaTeX-Beamer package to create slides for workshop and conference presentations as well as for my teaching materials. Overleaf provides an excellent tutorial that you can access here.
- Tutorial specifically for linguistic-y topics: An excellent resource to consult - once you have a handle on the basics - on linguistic-y aspects of LaTeX is Anke Himmelreich's LaTeX for Linguists-document.
Resources (primarily) for linguists
Below you'll find a variety of packages, links, and other resources that have helped me whenever I run into problems and have needed to troubleshoot in the past.
Packages
Packages are 'plug-ins', or add-ons, that allow you to do more than the basic type-setting commands in LaTeX. (N.B. The manuals that accompany these package are an excellent resource for basic questions and troubleshooting.)
Packages for numbering & formatting linguistic examples:
Below you'll find a variety of packages, links, and other resources that have helped me whenever I run into problems and have needed to troubleshoot in the past.
Packages
Packages are 'plug-ins', or add-ons, that allow you to do more than the basic type-setting commands in LaTeX. (N.B. The manuals that accompany these package are an excellent resource for basic questions and troubleshooting.)
Packages for numbering & formatting linguistic examples:
- gb4e is used by many linguists to generate auto-numbered examples and specifically glossed/translated language examples. (See also Sebatian Nordhoff's explanatory document for gb4e.)
- linguex is another formatting package
- expex is yet another formatting package
- There are a number of resources out there to aid you in drawing tables in LaTeX, which can be found on Overleaf and this overview provided by Andrew Roberts.
- tablesgenerator.com is a pretty handy URL that allows you to build a table online which you can then import into your LaTeX-document.
- forest is a very common package for drawing syntax trees, and is the one used by Language Science Press. A quick start guide can be found here.
- Michael Diercks (Pomona College) created the following document to aid in drawing arrows on tree structures in forest, which can be found here.
- Another useful package for drawing trees is qtree. If you want to draw arrows in these trees you'll also need to use the tree-dvips package.
- tikz-qtree is an advanced version of qtree.
- A straightforward and accessible way to incorporate math, logic, and semantic symbols into a LaTeX-document is by using mathmode functions and commands. This document provides an overview of the basic LaTeX mathmode commands found in linguistics.
- If you're interested in a super comprehensive collection of LaTeX symbols, look no further than right here.
Acknowledgements & Thanks
I'd like to thank Rui Chaves for introducing me to LaTeX and for his (immense) patience with me over the years in helping me gain a basic grounding. Special thanks also goes out to Andrew Hoffman, David Natvig, Sebatian Nordhoff, and Ashley Pahis, who have always been, and continue to be, resourceful colleagues ready to help with LaTeX-issues. Lastly, thanks to many colleagues such as Michael Diercks and Anke Himmelreich, whose LaTeX-knowledge and expertise far surpasses mine, and whose web resources served as guides in designing this overview. Vielen Dank!
I'd like to thank Rui Chaves for introducing me to LaTeX and for his (immense) patience with me over the years in helping me gain a basic grounding. Special thanks also goes out to Andrew Hoffman, David Natvig, Sebatian Nordhoff, and Ashley Pahis, who have always been, and continue to be, resourceful colleagues ready to help with LaTeX-issues. Lastly, thanks to many colleagues such as Michael Diercks and Anke Himmelreich, whose LaTeX-knowledge and expertise far surpasses mine, and whose web resources served as guides in designing this overview. Vielen Dank!