About the founder (David Haavik)

David Petter Haavik has taught Norwegian on all levels (level A1-C1) for over 8 years, including 5 years at Folkeuniversitetet Vestlandet and 2 years at Lingu. In addition he has taken part in product development of Web-based language learning applications, instructed the British Royal Navy (for United Nations operations along the Norwegian coast), and used the Russian language to teach Russian speakers (level A1/A2) Norwegian through their own native language. He has been praised by students for his explanations of grammar, his patience and attention to detail. 

Today he runs his own company, Singularity Linguistics (a sole proprietorship), where he teaches and develops Norwegian language learning software based on human-machine interaction. 

In addition, he has worked as a computational linguist (intern) on the in-car AI speech assistant robot NOMI for the Chinese electric car manufacturer NIO. He has also been involved with an AI project (for an NLP (Natural Language Processing) application) for the IT company Sigma AI.

The beginning 

My interest in foreign and exotic cultures started when I was 6 years old. Being fascinated by Ancient Egyptian culture, its art and hieroglyphics, I would draw, collect statues and artifacts (replicas of course), as well as make my own costumes (which looked ridiculous) while growing up in Kristiansand.

A few years later (at age 10), I also got interested in ancient China. Again I found myself collecting artifacts, drawing and making stuff. 

The catalyst

After having visited a friend in Finland (starting when I was 13), I got fascinated by the distinct Finnish language and then tried to learn a few words and phrases. Finnish and its interesting grammar would later become the first foreign language I wanted to learn as a means of communication. However, I never ended up learning the language.

I started learning Russian right after high school, and during a trip to Hungary (in 2008) with my music school, I also got interested in the Hungarian language, which happened to be a distant relative of Finnish. It was simply the most beautiful language I had ever heard. Shortly after, a tough choice had to be made: In addition to Russian, I only had the capacity to continue with either Hungarian or Mandarin (Chinese). I ended up choosing Mandarin. 


                            The path

The following year I would obtain a level B2 certificate in Russian from Folkeuniversitetet in Trondheim, later on take Russian and Mandarin courses in China (Beijing) and Russia (St. Petersburg), as well as getting university degrees in both the languages from the University of Bergen. 

In 2014 (at 25), I also became a Norwegian language instructor for Folkeuniversitetet Vestlandet (also in Bergen), where I would teach Norwegian courses (levels A1-B2) for the next five years (including Norwegian courses for Russian speakers, using Russian as a supportive language.) Later I would teach Norwegian (levels A1-C1) and do product development of Web-based language learning applications at the language school Lingu (in Bergen), as well as founding Singularity Linguistics in 2019. 

Today my quest continues to share with others the marvellous beauty I myself see in language.

  Teaching experience

2022-2023          Norwegian language instructor, Singularity Linguistics.
                             Levels A1-B2 (a total of 5 courses taught).


2020-2022         Norwegian language instructor and developer, Lingu.

                             Levels A1-C1. 

                             Product development and revising Web-based language                                                   learning application (Teach/Samanehs reise) and grammar libraries.


2014-2019            Norwegian language instructor, Folkeuniversitetet Vestlandet.                                           Levels A1-B2. 

                             Number of courses taught: 48 (2543 hours). 

                             Courses include 3 courses (levels A1-A2) for Russian                                                           speakers taught in Russian, and a 440-hour long training program                                     for the British Royal Navy. 

                             Main exam monitor (examination staff) for the B2 Norwegian                                             proficiency exam "Bergenstesten" (2016-2017).


2011-2012             Learning assistant (LA) for master students taking the course                                            "Experts in Teams" (EiT). Responsibilities: Facilitation and                                                     enhancement of group cooperation dynamics. 

                             The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). 


  AI projects  

2023              NIO. Working as a computational linguist (intern) on the Norwegian                                   version of the in-car AI speech assistant NOMI (NLU development) for                             the Chinese electric car manufacturer NIO.                                                                           Responsibilities: Data annotation, heuristic pattern development                                       (grammar development), query generation, query translation and                                     product testing (NOMI). 

2022               Sigma AI. Norwegian audio transcription/data labeling (training data) for                          Natural Language Processing (NLP) application.  


                                Educational software

2019-2020      Development of software (chapter quizzes) in Python 3 for the courses                            "KJEM140 - Molecular Physical Chemistry" and "MOL100 - Introduction                              to Molecular Biology" (on a voluntary student initiative). The quizzes                                contained a variety of different  practice problems, and were designed                            to be used by students (available through the course website) to test                              their understanding of the syllabus in preparation for the exams. 

                           Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, The University of Bergen (UiB).


                               Translation experience

2017               Physics translations (Norwegian - English) of course descriptions                                       for seven master`s programmes in physics for the university                                               homepage: Biological physics/medical physics, physics didactics,                                     nuclear and particle physics, materials/nano physics and quantum                                     technology, space physics and technology, theoretical physics,                                         microelectronics and sensor technology, signal processing and                                         imaging. 
                       The University of Oslo (UiO).

Max

The software Max was named after my dear neighbor dog, which I would sometimes take for walks in my hometown Haugesund.