LINGUIST List 11.1435

Wed Jun 28 2000

Jobs: Phonetics Laboratory Postdoc, U/Witwatersrand

Editor for this issue: Jody Huellmantel <jodylinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Simon Donnelly, Phonetics Laboratory Postdoctorate 2000/2001, University of the Witwatersrand

The Department of Linguistics at the University of the Witwatersrand
is offering a one-year, potentially renewable, postdoctorate position
in its Phonetics Laboratory.

The University of the Witwatersrand is a large modern South African
university, with a long tradition of research and teaching
excellence. Although our Linguistics Department is not a big one, we
have established an international reputation for work on Khoisan and
Southern Bantu languages, including the phonetics of these languages.

A singular attraction of the postdoctoral position being offered is
that the Wits Linguistics Department has a fully equipped Phonetics
Laboratory, built up over the last twenty years by Professor (now:
Emeritus) Anthony Traill, an internationally renowned expert on the
sound systems of Khoisan languages.

Equipment in our Phonetics Laboratory includes the following: Kay DSP
Digital Sona-graph; Kay Computerized Speech Lab; CECIL; spectragraph;
mingograph; aerodynamics equipment; Apple Macintosh computers;
scanner; portable digital and analog audio recording equipment for
field work; video recorders. In addition, the lab houses a great deal
of audio data collected for diverse phonetic projects over the years.

Perhaps the greatest attraction that the Wits Linguistics Department
can offer -- in addition to already recorded materials -- is
access to a very wide variety of first language speakers, from the
entire African subcontinent and beyond. Speakers of ALL southern and
southeastern Bantu languages can be found either on campus or in urban
and rural communities (readily accessible from the university). In
addition, an even wider variety of languages spoken slightly further
afield -- in Botswana, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho -- can be
accessed by the postdoctoral researcher.

Candidates for this postdoctoral position are invited to propose a research 
project, for the duration of the postdoc year, and submit it to:

	The Phonetics Postdoc Committee
	Department of Linguistics
	University of the Witwatersrand
	P/Bag 3
	2050 Wits
	SOUTH AFRICA

Deadline: 31 July 2000.

We will begin reading the research proposals on 20 July and continue
until we find a suitable candidate. The postdoctorate will run from
August 2000 (but the exact start date is subject to negotiation). The
accompanying stipend begins at R75 000 per annum ($10,700  $1 = R7),
and is not taxable. This is equivalent to the salary of a lecturer
('assistant professor') at the university, allowing for a modestly
comfortable lifestyle.

The postdoctoral candidate does not need a South African work permit;
s/he will thus be able to begin the research project without delay.

Enquiries should be directed to Simon Donnelly
(104simonmuse.wits.ac.za). Submissions by email are acceptable.