Abstract
The presentation version of this paper was the first in a series of talks in the panel “Language Matters” at the 2015 conference of the Substance Abuse Librarians and Information Specialists in San Diego, California. Born and raised in Hungary, a country plagued with alcoholism, mental illness, and suicide, and with a doctorate in linguistics – a unique combination of background and credentials – the author had the privilege to introduce the topic and set the tone for a panel looking at language matters related to addiction science, from many angles.