LINGUIST List 5.1063

Sat 01 Oct 1994

Jobs: Germanic lang, Research projects

Editor for this issue: <>

Directory

1. Brian D Joseph, Job Posting in Germanic Languages
2. "Marleen van de Wiel", Jobs at the Center for Language Studies

NOTE: This is being posted on behalf of the Department of Germanic
Languages and Literatures of the Ohio State University; if interested,
please reply to the person mentioned in the ad, not to the post-er.
^^^^^^^^
Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, The Ohio State University
announces an opening for an Assistant Professor of German, tenure-track,
beginning Autumn 1995, pending final budgetary approval. Area(s) of
specialization open. Prerequisites: PhD by Spring 1995, native or near-
native fluency, demonstrated teaching effectiveness, scholarly promise,
and the potential to participate fully in the undergraduate and graduate
programs. Salary competitive. Send letter of application and c.v. by
November 16 to Professor Marilyn Blackwell, Chair, Search Committee,
Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, 314 Cunz Hall, 1841
Millikin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1229. Non-citizens should state
visa-status in letter or c.v. Although this is an open search and we
are not searching only for a German(ic) linguist, those whose area is
German(ic) linguistics will be considered. Women, minorities, Vietnam-era
veterans, disabled veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged
to apply.

 The CENTER for LANGUAGE STUDIES has vacancies for
 PH.D. STUDENTS (M/F)
 for research in the field of language and language behavior
The Center for Language Studies (CLS) is a joint research school of
Nijmegen University, Tilburg University and the Max Planck Institut
fuer Psycholinguistik. CLS offers a training program in the field of
linguistics in a broad sense. Besides individual supervision of
doctoral research, the Center organizes basic courses and specialized
seminars in the following main fields of research: psycholinguistics,
sociolinguistics, language- and speech technology and grammatical
theory. The research programs have an international orientation.
As from January 1, 1995, positions for Research Trainees (AIOs) are
available for the six research themes described below. In view of the
multidisciplinary character of the CLS, candidates from various
backgrounds are eligible. Depending on the research theme, candidates
must have an MA or 'doctorandus' degree in linguistics or in
sociology, psychology, logic or information technology.
Vac. nr.: 810.41
Title: CROSS LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF RELATIONS BETWEEN
 SENTENCES.
Location: TILBURG UNIVERSITY
Relations between sentences correspond to fundamental cognitive
notions such as cause-consequence, action-reason. Languages differ in
their expression of these relations. Topic of this project is how
sequences of sentences are interpreted in languages that differ in the
use of sentence connectives. The focus will be on pragmatic
inferences in the interpretation. The research will concentrate on
oral, interactive language. It is possible to focus the project on a
developmental aspect. Experience with experimental techniques is
highly recommended.
Applicants should have a good background in Linguistics,
Psycholinguistics, or Sociolinguistics and experience with
experimental statistics.
Vac. nr.: 810.042
Title: MACHINE LEARNING
Location: TILBURG UNIVERSITY
In this research, the application of Artificial Intelligence
techniques (Machine Learning) on problems in language technology is
investigated. The research aims at (i) studying the usefulness of this
approach in language technology (the automatic induction of lexical
and grammar knowledge from corpora), and (ii) answering the question
whether the application of these techniques as a new methodology
in (psycho)linguistics can contribute to new theoretical insights.
Applicants should have a good background in Computer Science,
Computational Linguistics or Artificial Intelligence.
Vac. nr.: 810.044
Title: USE OF PROSODIC INFORMATION IN AUTOMATIC SPEECH
 RECOGNITION.
Location: NIJMEGEN UNIVERSITY
This project attempts to integrate knowledge from psycholinguistic
experiments and theory into hard core automatic speech recognition.
Emphasis will be on problems related to lexical access. It will be
attempted to exploit prosodic information to reduce the number of
possible starting points of new words in spoken utterances.
Research in this project will be closely coordinated with research
going on in a nationally funded research programme, aiming at the
development of advanced automated telephone information systems. Thus,
the speech material under analysis and used for testing the results
will consist of information-seeking dialogues.
Applicants should have a good background in Psycholinguistics, as
well as in probabilistic techniques for Speech Recognition.
Vac. nr.: 810.045
Title: TYPOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF VERB AGREEMENT.
Location: NIJMEGEN UNIVERSITY
Research will be based on the language descriptions available in the
well known Stockholm sample. Its emphasis will be on morphonological,
syntactic and semantic aspects of verb agreement in the languages
which are represented in that sample. First, it will be investigated
what formal means are used in languages to express agreement and which
features of the subject NP are reflected in the verb form. Next an
inventory must be made of sentential categories forcing verb agreement
in addition to the subject. Finally, the diachronic development of
verb agreement will be studied.
Applicants should have a solid background in modern Theoretical
Linguistics; experience in the field of Survey Studies of Language
Typology is a definite advantage.
Vac. nr.: 810.046
Title: THE ROLE OF SEMANTIC AND ORTHOGRAPHIC/PHONOLOGIC
 CONTEXT IN BILINGUAL LEXICAL PRODUCTION.
Location: NIJMEGEN UNIVERSITY
The central issue under investigation in this project is to find out
which are the most important factors that influence the production of
words by a second language speaker. Factors which are of special
interest are semantic and orthographic/phonological similarity and the
level of proficiency in the second language. The research will follow
the well established reaction time paradigm, with visual
representations of words, non-words and pictures as facilitators or
inhibitors. Within-language effects will be compared with between-
language effects.
Applicants should have a degree in Applied Linguistics or Experimental
Psychology. Experience with Second Language Learning or reaction time
experiments is an advantage.
Vac. nr.: 810.047
Title: PHONOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE INTONATION
 OF FRENCH.
Location: NIJMEGEN UNIVERSITY
This project aims to make a phonological analysis of the intonational
system of French. The analysis will use the autosegmental theory as
frame of reference, taking into account recent developments in
phonetic and phonological under-specification. The phonological
interpretation of French intonation contours will be based on
empirical analysis of a carefully constructed data base of spoken
sentences. The original pitch contours will be compared with contours
predicted by phonological analysis. To substantiate this comparison,
perception experiments must be carried out in which subjects judge
natural and synthetic versions of the sentences. The results of the
perception experiments should validate the phonological description.
Applicants should have a solid background in modern Phonological
Theory, and be able to conduct Experimental Research.
Researchers will be appointed either on a full-time basis for
a period of four years, or on a parttime (0,8 fte) basis
for a period of five years at the indicated University of the
different positions, at a starting salary of Dfl. 2,003.- per month,
rising to (full-time) Dfl. 3,573.- in the fourth year.
Further information about the CLS and the above vacancies can be
obtained from ms drs. M. van de Wiel, e-mail: CLSkub.nl
Your application, stating vacancy number on the envelope,
must be sent before October 15, 1994 to:
Katholieke Universiteit Brabant
Faculteit der Letteren
attn. Drs. Th. van den Hoek
P.O.Box 90153
5000 LE Tilburg
The Netherlands