What is OUTIL? (OUT In Linguistics)

The list is open to lesbian, gay, bisexual, dyke, queer, homosexual, etc. linguists and their friends. The only requirement is that you be willing to be out to everyone on the list as lgbt(-friendly); it's sort of like wearing a pink triangle.

This mailing list is for the use of anyone on it. You are welcome to send invitations, messages, queries, whatever, to anyone on the list. To send a message to EVERYONE on the list, simply mail your message to

The mailing list is "closed", which means that new subscribers must be approved by the list maintainer (Kenneth Hyde), but it is not moderated, which means that the maintainer doesn't filter the messages; subscriptions and unsubscriptions will seem almost automatic, in any case.

The name OUTIL can be pronounced in English, to rhyme with "shout'll", or in French, anglicized if you wish to something like "ooh, *teal*". Yes, in the latter case it means 'tool'.

The organization, if such it can be said to be, is deeply anarchic; nobody is in charge of anything, and anyone is welcome to institute any sort of event. (Kenneth Hyde merely maintains the list.) The only official purposes of the group are to be visible and to gather occasionally to enjoy one another's company; but we are all welcome to engage in any activity we can rouse interest in.

How to subscribe

The best way for people to subscribe is to send an email to with an empty subject line and the following lines as the only text of the message:

subscribe outil-list
end

This will generate a subscription request which will be sent to Ken Hyde for approval. Turn around is usually less than 12 hours, sometimes less than 12 minutes (it depends on whether he's at his computer when the request comes in). Those who wish to subscribe can also send email directly to

Last modified Feb 24, 2004
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