The fear of academic failure can be paralyzing. Studying for months, memorizing information, and sitting for a final exam stops some students in their tracks—what if I fail? However, failure can sometimes set us on a new and more enticing path that we had not previously considered.

While attending school at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary, Aniko Csirmaz, associate professor of linguistics, studied, prepared, and created a system to ace her Spanish phonology course final, but on the day of the exam, it happened—she failed the test. Bolstered by the experience, she returned to her notes, reviewing the information and prepared to try again, but she failed a second time.

“The way the course was taught, if you memorized the contents of the different books you could pass the exam. If you tried to come up with a system and complete the exam based on that system, you would not do well,” Csirmaz notes. Her system had not worked. As she reflected on failing the Spanish phonology exam, (but not those of theoretical or English phonology), there seemed to be a deeper conflict at play. It was not just the way this particular course was taught that did not resonate with Csirmaz. “There was something about the way literature was taught in school. It seemed very subjective, there was no real way to evaluate analyses, theories or what we were learning,” she says.

Rather than memorizing information to regurgitate for an exam or presentation, she wanted to explore questions like, “What is the relation between the spatial meaning of elements like ‘in’ and ‘within’ and the meaning in expressions of measurement such as ‘in two hours,’ versus, ‘within two hours,” which she was able to research later on.

FOR ME, LANGUAGE WAS MUCH MORE OBJECTIVE; IT IS CLEAR

Prior to the exam, Csirmaz was enrolled in five majors; Hungarian, English, Spanish, general linguistics, and theoretical linguistics. Throughout the time she studied these majors, Csirmaz had maintained an interest in finding objectivity and clarity in words. This yearning for clarity and concise understanding, combined with the failed phonology course, pushed Csirmaz to narrow her course of study, focusing on her English and theoretical linguistics majors.

The daughter of two mathematicians, Csirmaz had no problem analyzing data, systems, and asking questions that seemed arbitrary to others. “For me, language was much more objective; it is clear. It’s like puzzles that don’t involve scary things like multivariable equations.” Csirmaz’ primary focus when she entered university was looking at different linguistic constructions (for example, in Swahili) and finding patterns. However, after failing the exam, Csirmaz pursued asking deeper structural questions about words and sentences that are often overlooked.

Ultimately, this was the passion Csirmaz’ academic career followed, finding clarity, patterns, and objectivity in the ways we understand words and their structures. “In my field, there are a lot Csirmaz’ focus is creating concise and uncomplicated systems for her students to understand how language structures are built. “My research has rejected the subjective confusion found in linguistics. I want students to not be afraid to ask questions, including questions that it seems like no one is asking,” she urges, “students should push back and ask questions. Be respectful but be fearless.”

Csirmaz’ journey to theoretical linguistics includes many publications and research interests, and along with what many students fear, a failed exam. However, Csirmaz’ tenacity, passion for words, and intrigue at the overlooked turned a perceived failure into a jumping off point.