The Columbia School of Linguistics is a special group of people who study language. When we say language, we mean the way we speak, read and write. They want to understand how language works, and why it works the way it does.
Now, can you imagine talking to someone who doesn't speak the same language as you? It can be really hard to understand each other, right? That's because the words and sounds in one language might mean something different in another language.
The Columbia School of Linguistics tries to figure out why this happens, and how we can learn to communicate better with people who speak different languages. They also study how language changes over time, and how people learn to use their first language as they grow up.
So, think of the Columbia School of Linguistics like a big group of detectives who are trying to solve the mystery of language. They ask lots of questions, write down everything they learn, and try to find patterns and clues to help them understand more about how language works. Pretty cool, huh?