LINGUIST List 22.902 Wed Feb 23 2011 Support: Cog Sci, Lang Acquisition: PhD Student, U. of Abertay Dundee, UK Editor for this issue: Matthew Lahrman <mattlinguistlist.org> New! Visit LL's Multitree project for over 1000 trees dynamically generated from scholarly hypotheses about language relationships:             http://multitree.linguistlist.org/ To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.cfm. Directory         1.     Vera Kempe , Anthropological Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Language Acquisition, Typology: PhD Student, University of Abertay Dundee, United Kingdom Message 1: Anthropological Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Language Acquisition, Typology: PhD Student, University of Abertay Dundee, United Kingdom Date: 21-Feb-2011 From: Vera Kempe <v.kempeabertay.ac.uk> Subject: Anthropological Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Language Acquisition, Typology: PhD Student, University of Abertay Dundee, United Kingdom E-mail this message to a friend Institution/Organization: University of Abertay Dundee Department: Psychology Web Address: https://portal.abertay.ac.uk/portal/page/portal/SHARED/v/V514248 Level: PhD Duties: Research Specialty Areas: Anthropological Linguistics; Cognitive Science; Language Acquisition; Typology Description: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/ACG883/phd-studentship/ Development of methods for the comparison of language development between industrial and non-industrial societies University of Abertay, Dundee The University is pleased to offer a FEES ONLY STUDENTSHIP for a period of three years for outstanding full time postgraduate research students from outside the UK and European Union. The studentships are part-funded through SORSAS (the Scottish Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme). The aim is to develop methods for a systematic comparison of cross-cultural differences in language input to children to develop cross-culturally and cross- linguistically valid and applicable methods for the comparison of language development in children. Psychological research in language development has been dominated by studies on children learning English and, more recently, a small range of other European or East Asian languages which are spoken in industrial, literate societies. In these societies, parents engage in intensive verbal interactions with their babies and toddlers. However, the anthropological literature holds a number of records suggesting that in non-industrial societies, this kind of verbal interaction between adults and small children can be very limited. Where differences in the amount of verbal interaction with children have been studied, for example when comparing parents of different socio-economic status within industrial societies, comparisons show that amount of input does affect rate of language development: The less parents talk to their children the later important milestones of language development are reached. This leads to the so far untested prediction that cross- cultural differences in early verbal input should also lead to differences in rate of language development. Unfortunately, virtually no comparisons between language development in industrial and non-industrial societies exist, mainly due to the difficulties associated with the development of measurement instruments that could be compared across different languages. This PhD project aims to develop measurement instruments that can be deployed for use in industrial and non-industrial societies to compare development across different languages. The ultimate goal is to (a) obtain a more accurate description of the range of trajectories of language development across human societies and (b) to identify socioecological factors that underpin differences in the transmission and use of language across societies. The development of the proposed measurement instruments is crucial for both of these goals and will make use of resources such as the electronic Human Relations Area Files which contain detailed anthropological records of non-industrial societies. Supervisors: Dr. V. Kempe e: v.kempeabertay.ac.uk Dr. F. Moore e: f.mooreabertay.ac.uk School of Social and Health Sciences, University of Abertay Dundee Eligibility: Overseas (non-EU) students who have been accepted unconditionally for admission as a full-time, postgraduate research student for Session 2011/2012. For an application form please visit Abertay Jobs at www.abertay.ac.uk Please return applications to: Mrs Cheryl Fitzpatrick, Research, Enterprise and Innovation Services, University of Abertay Dundee, Bell Street, Dundee, DD1 1HG (Tel: +44 1382 308910) e-mail: c.fitzpatrickabertay.ac.uk Completed applications forms together with a current cv should be returned to Mrs Fitzpatrick by 11 March 2011. Please quote reference number STU/11/04 Committed to Equal Opportunities The University of Abertay Dundee is a Scottish Registered Charity, No: SC016040 Applications Deadline: 11-Mar-2011 Mailing Address for Applications:         Attn: Mrs Cheryl Fitzpatrick         Research, Enterprise and Innovation Services         University of Abertay, Dundee         Dundee Scotland DD1 1HG         United Kingdom Web Address for Applications: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/ACG883/phd-studentship/ Contact Information:         Dr Vera Kempe         v.kempeabertay.ac.uk         Phone:4401382308586         Fax:4401382308749 New! 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