diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/config/autocmds.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/config/autocmds.lua
index 220bfb2..053f67c 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/config/autocmds.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/config/autocmds.lua
@@ -16,3 +16,27 @@ vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({ "BufEnter", "BufWinEnter" }, {
   pattern = { "*.roc" },
   command = "set filetype=roc",
 })
+
+-- if cspell config found then disable buitlin spell check
+vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({"BufRead", "BufNewFile"}, {
+  pattern = "*",
+  callback = function()
+    -- this isn't exhuastive and won't work if config is contained in a package.json
+    local cspell_files = {
+      "cspell.json",
+      ".cspell.json",
+      "cSpell.json",
+      ".cSpell.json",
+      ".cspell.config.json",
+      "cpsell.config.yaml",
+      ".cpsell.config.yaml"
+    }
+
+    for _, file in ipairs(cspell_files) do
+      if vim.fn.findfile(file, ".;") ~= "" then
+        vim.opt_local.spell = false
+        break
+      end
+    end
+  end
+})
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/config/lazy.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/config/lazy.lua
index a3e308b..7ebc458 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/config/lazy.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/config/lazy.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+local import_if_exe = require("util").import_if_exe
 local lazypath = vim.fn.stdpath("data") .. "/lazy/lazy.nvim"
 if not (vim.uv or vim.loop).fs_stat(lazypath) then
   local lazyrepo = "https://github.com/folke/lazy.nvim.git"
@@ -25,22 +26,22 @@ require("lazy").setup({
     { import = "plugins.disabled" },
     { import = "plugins.host" },
     { import = "plugins.ui" },
-    -- { import = "plugins.language" },
-    { import = "plugins.language.go" },
+
+    { import = "plugins.language.misc" },
     { import = "plugins.language.lua" },
     { import = "plugins.language.markdown" },
-    { import = "plugins.language.misc" },
-    { import = "plugins.language.nim" },
-    { import = "plugins.language.nix" },
-    require("util").if_exe("nu", { { import = "plugins.language.nu" } }),
-    { import = "plugins.language.python" },
-
-    -- { import = "plugins.language.roc" },
-    { import = "plugins.language.rust" },
     { import = "plugins.language.shell" },
+    { import = "plugins.language.python" },
     { import = "plugins.language.tex" },
-    { import = "plugins.language.typst" },
-    -- { import = "plugins.language.zig" },
+
+    import_if_exe("go", "plugins.language.go" ),
+    import_if_exe("nim", "plugins.language.nim"),
+    import_if_exe("nix" , "plugins.language.nix" ),
+    import_if_exe("nu", "plugins.language.nu" ),
+    import_if_exe("rust", "plugins.language.rust" ),
+    import_if_exe("typst", "plugins.language.typst" ),
+    -- import_if_exe("zig", "plugins.language.zig" ),
+    -- import_if_exe("roc", "plugins.language.roc" ),
     --
   },
   rocks = {
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/builtins.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/builtins.lua
index c2ebeba..ee6fba1 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/builtins.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/builtins.lua
@@ -35,4 +35,34 @@ return {
       keymap = { preset = "default" },
     },
   },
+  {
+    "mfussenegger/nvim-lint",
+    opts = {
+      -- cspell probably isn't installed globally? though could be with pnpm...
+      -- linters_by_ft = {
+      --   markdown = { "cspell" },
+      -- },
+
+      -- LazyVim extension to easily override linter options
+      -- or add custom linters.
+      ---@type table<string,table>
+      linters = {
+        -- -- Example of using selene only when a selene.toml file is present
+        -- selene = {
+        --   -- `condition` is another LazyVim extension that allows you to
+        --   -- dynamically enable/disable linters based on the context.
+        --   condition = function(ctx)
+        --     return vim.fs.find({ "selene.toml" }, { path = ctx.filename, upward = true })[1]
+        --   end,
+        -- },
+        cspell = {
+          -- only works for one file type?
+          -- see lua/config/autocmds for a possible solution that includes more files
+          condition = function(ctx)
+            return vim.fs.find({".cspell.config.yaml"}, {path = ctx.filename, upward = true})[1]
+          end
+        }
+      },
+    },
+  },
 }
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/disabled.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/disabled.lua
index ad40dd0..eab46d8 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/disabled.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/disabled.lua
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ local function disable(plugins)
 end
 
 return disable({
-  "mfussenegger/nvim-lint",
+  -- "mfussenegger/nvim-lint",
   "folke/tokyonight.nvim",
   -- snippets are wildly really annoying
   "L3MON4D3/LuaSnip",
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/go.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/go.lua
index 2fad189..8614f29 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/go.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/go.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 -- adapted from https://www.lazyvim.org/extras/lang/go
-return require("util").if_exe("go", {
+return {
   {
     "nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter",
     opts = function(_, opts)
@@ -97,4 +97,4 @@ return require("util").if_exe("go", {
       },
     },
   },
-})
+}
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/janet.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/janet.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5df59a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/janet.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+return {
+  require("util").setup_lang({ treesitter = { "janet_simple" } }),
+}
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/nim.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/nim.lua
index 49d0f3b..a248b49 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/nim.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/nim.lua
@@ -1,16 +1,14 @@
-local util = require("util")
-
-return util.if_exe("nim", {
-  util.setup_lang({ treesitter = { "nim", "nim_format_string" } }),
+return {
+  require("util").setup_lang({ treesitter = { "nim", "nim_format_string" }, lsp = { "nim_langserver" } }),
   { "alaviss/nim.nvim" },
-  {
-    "neovim/nvim-lspconfig",
-    opts = {
-      servers = {
-        nim_langserver = {
-          mason = false,
-        },
-      },
-    },
-  },
-})
+  -- {
+  --   "neovim/nvim-lspconfig",
+  --   opts = {
+  --     servers = {
+  --       nim_langserver = {
+  --         mason = false,
+  --       },
+  --     },
+  --   },
+  -- },
+}
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/nix.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/nix.lua
index 92bf259..1a2f52c 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/nix.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/nix.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-local util = require("util")
-return util.if_exe("nix", {
-  util.setup_lang({ treesitter = { "nix" } }),
+return {
+  require("util").setup_lang({ treesitter = { "nix" } }),
   {
     "neovim/nvim-lspconfig",
     opts = {
@@ -14,4 +13,4 @@ return util.if_exe("nix", {
       },
     },
   },
-})
+}
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/roc.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/roc.lua
index fc69fe7..57f8c6d 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/roc.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/roc.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-return require("util").if_exe("roc", {
+return {
   { "nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter", opts = { ensure_installed = { "roc" } } },
   {
     "neovim/nvim-lspconfig",
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ return require("util").if_exe("roc", {
       },
     },
   },
-})
+}
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/rust.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/rust.lua
index de9893f..6c22d9d 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/rust.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/rust.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 -- adapted from https://www.lazyvim.org/extras/lang/rust
-return require("util").if_exe("rust", {
+return {
   {
     "hrsh7th/nvim-cmp",
     opts = function(_, opts)
@@ -96,4 +96,4 @@ return require("util").if_exe("rust", {
       },
     },
   },
-})
+}
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/typst.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/typst.lua
index 0f1cf37..7ecbf6f 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/typst.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/typst.lua
@@ -1,16 +1,15 @@
-return require("util").if_exe("typst", {
-  {
-    "neovim/nvim-lspconfig",
-    opts = {
-      servers = {
-        typst_lsp = {
-          mason = false,
-          settings = {
-            exportPdf = "never", -- Choose onType, onSave or never.
-            -- serverPath = "" -- Normally, there is no need to uncomment it.
-          },
-        },
-      },
-    },
-  },
-})
+-- todo: treesitter?
+-- return {
+--   {
+--     "neovim/nvim-lspconfig",
+--     opts = {
+--       servers = {
+--         tinymist = {
+--           mason = false
+--         }
+--       },
+--     },
+--   },
+-- }
+--
+return require("util").setup_lang({lsp = {"tinymist"}})
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/zig.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/zig.lua
index 20a5ddb..c10d9d7 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/zig.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/plugins/language/zig.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 -- adapted from https://www.lazyvim.org/extras/lang/rust
-return require("util").if_exe("zig", {
+return {
   {
     "nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter",
     opts = function(_, opts)
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ return require("util").if_exe("zig", {
       },
     },
   },
-})
+}
diff --git a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/util/init.lua b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/util/init.lua
index 128aa1f..4ded852 100644
--- a/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/util/init.lua
+++ b/home/private_dot_config/nvim/lua/util/init.lua
@@ -7,24 +7,89 @@ local function setDefault(t, d)
   setmetatable(t, mt)
 end
 
+-- local function setup_lsp(name)
+--   return {
+--     "neovim/nvim-lspconfig",
+--     opts = {
+--       servers = {
+--         [name] = { mason = false },
+--       },
+--     },
+--   }
+-- end
+
+
+-- local function setup_lang(defs)
+--   setDefault(defs, {})
+--   return {
+--     {
+--       "nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter",
+--       opts = function(_, opts)
+--         opts.ensure_installed = vim.list_extend(opts.ensure_installed or {}, defs.treesitter)
+--       end,
+--     },
+--     {
+--       "williamboman/mason.nvim",
+--       opts = function(_, opts)
+--         opts.ensure_installed = vim.list_extend(opts.ensure_installed or {}, defs.mason)
+--       end,
+--     },
+--   }
+-- end
+
+
+local function lsp_no_mason(server_name)
+  return {
+    [server_name] = {
+      mason = false,
+    },
+  }
+end
+
+--- generated with the help of claude
 local function setup_lang(defs)
   setDefault(defs, {})
-  return {
+
+  local result = {
     {
       "nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter",
       opts = function(_, opts)
-        opts.ensure_installed = vim.list_extend(opts.ensure_installed or {}, defs.treesitter)
+        opts.ensure_installed = vim.list_extend(opts.ensure_installed or {}, defs.treesitter or {})
       end,
     },
     {
       "williamboman/mason.nvim",
       opts = function(_, opts)
-        opts.ensure_installed = vim.list_extend(opts.ensure_installed or {}, defs.mason)
+        opts.ensure_installed = vim.list_extend(opts.ensure_installed or {}, defs.mason or {})
       end,
     },
   }
+
+  -- Handle LSP configuration
+  if defs.lsp then
+    table.insert(result, {
+      "neovim/nvim-lspconfig",
+      opts = {
+        servers = {},
+      },
+    })
+
+    -- i think the result[#result] syntax is taking the "last" index of result
+    for _, lsp in ipairs(defs.lsp) do
+      if type(lsp) == "string" then
+        -- Regular LSP server
+        result[#result].opts.servers[lsp] = {mason = false}
+      elseif type(lsp) == "table" and lsp[1] then
+        -- LSP server with no Mason
+        result[#result].opts.servers = vim.tbl_deep_extend("force", result[#result].opts.servers, lsp_no_mason(lsp[1]))
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  return result
 end
 
+
 local function if_exe(exe, deps)
   if vim.fn.executable(exe) == 0 then
     return {}
@@ -32,7 +97,12 @@ local function if_exe(exe, deps)
   return deps
 end
 
+local function import_if_exe(exe, mod)
+  return if_exe(exe, { { import = mod } })
+end
+
 return {
   setup_lang = setup_lang,
   if_exe = if_exe,
+  import_if_exe = import_if_exe,
 }