LINGUIST List 14.3087

Tue Nov 11 2003

Jobs: Sudanese English: Consultant, de Taalstudio

Editor for this issue: Sarah Murray <sarahlinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. taalstudio, Sudanese English: Consultant, de Taalstudio, Netherlands

University or Organization: de Taalstudio
Rank of Job: Consultant
Specialty Areas: Sudanese English


Description:

De Taalstudio - a Dutch organisation specialised in linguistic
projects and products - is urgently looking for linguistic consultants
on the varieties of English spoken in Sudan, especially in the
south. The consultants are asked to act as contra-expert on 'language
analyses' produced by the Dutch Immigration Service (IND) about the
language variety used by asylum seekers from Sudan. Some payment is
available for the consultant.

Linguists who have published about Sudanese English or the
sociolinguistic situation in Sudan and who are interested to bring
their knowledge to bear in such cases, are urgently requested to
contact Maaike Verrips of de Taalstudio. Please provide your name,
title and affiliation as well as the bibliographical details of (at
least) one relevant publication when responding to this call.

De Taalstudio aims to advance professional standards in language
analysis and to contribute to fair trials. Linguists with expertise in
other Sudanese languages (especially Sudanese Arabic) who are
interested to act as consultant in asylum-cases, are also invited to
contact de Taalstudio.

Background information:
Many governments, including the Dutch government, use 'language
analysis' as a tool to establish the country of origin of foreigners
without passport who apply for political asylum. A language analysis
is a written report about the language that the applicant uses during
a taperecorded interview. On the basis of the language (variety) used
in this interview, the analist tries to determine where the
asylum-seeker has come from. Language analyses are commonly made by
native speakers with little training in linguistics. The linguistic
reasoning is often very poor. As a result, it is hard or even
impossible for the asylum-seeker to argue against the conclusions in
such reports. In some cases courts have ruled that language analysis
should be carried out by professional linguists. 

De Taalstudio connects people who need a language analysis or
contra-expertise to linguists with the relevant background. In most
cases, the linguist writes a report with a 'second opinion' or
provides a full-fledged 'contra-expertise'. By 'second opinion' we
mean a commentary by the linguist on the validity of the linguistic
arguments provided in a particular language analysis. A second opinion
involves an analysis of the report, not of the data that the report is
based on (i.e. the taperecorded interview). In the case of a
'contra-expertise', the linguist analyses the original tape-recorded
interview with the asylum seeker. On the basis of this analysis, the
linguist produces a short report, stating whether the language variety
of the asylum seeker provides evidence for or against this person's
claim that he is from a particular region. In some cases the linguist
can be asked to produce a language analysis from scratch, including an
interview with the applicant.

		
	

Address for Applications:

	Attn: Dr. Maaike Verrips
	Postbus 12,
	Monnickendam, 1140 AA
	Netherlands 
 
	Position is open until filled


Contact Information:
	Dr. Maaike Verrips
	Email: taalstudioxs4all.nl
	Tel: +31 6 27 38 56 72
	Website: http://www.taalstudio.nl