Students only work for one to two hours, and there is no championship level. However, other than this the US event has followed the Russian model fairly closely. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded in two grade-level categories. The Linguistic Olympics is a unique activity that combines analytic reasoning and cultural awareness. Students learn about the richness, diversity and systematicity of language.
Students are often amazed when they discover the different ways that languages can express ideas.
In the process, students overcome natural anxiety toward other languages and writing systems. In addition to the cultural benefits, students also exercise their analytic and problem-solving skills. The puzzles require students to think carefully through different hypotheses and problem-solving strategies. The most successful students are those who are able to extend themselves beyond their usual thought patterns to discover ways in which speakers of different languages approach reality. The following sample puzzles represent a selection from the US Linguistic Olympics over the past three years.