Support Announcement:

Level:	PhD
Duty:	Research
Linguistic Field(s):	Anthropological Linguistics Language & cognition, Language documentation, psycholinguistics
Application Deadline:	31-Dec-2012
Supporting Institution:	University of Newcastle Linguistics
LL Issue:	23.5042
Posted:	03-Dec-2012
Support Description:	The University of Newcastle (Australia) is seeking applicants for a PhD post associated with the Australian Research Council funded project 'Thinking and talking about atolls: the role of environment in shaping language and our understanding of physical space.' A good undergraduate degree in linguistics is required, preferably a first-class Honours degree or Master's degree. Deadline for applications: December 31, 2012 (or until filled) Start date: Early 2013 A position is available for a promising PhD student to conduct research on the role of the environment in shaping systems of linguistic spatial reference. The project will use field-based investigation of languages spoken on atolls to test hypotheses on correlations between the physical environment in which a language is spoken and aspects of that language's system of spatial reference, particularly relating to absolute frame of reference. The subproject this PhD post is associated with will involve field research on the Marshallese language, primarily in the Marshall Islands but also in the United States. Applicants will require solid undergraduate training in linguistics, ideally with some training in the application of experimental methodologies. We are especially interested in applicants with an interest in the relationship between language and cognition, ideally with some background in spatial language. Some knowledge of Austronesian languages will be helpful, but is not essential. The PhD student will be housed in the Endangered Languages Documentation, Theory and Application Research Group at the University of Newcastle, and will be supervised by Dr Bill Palmer and Dr Alice Gaby of Monash University. He/she will form part of a team of researchers based at Newcastle and Monash including Palmer, Gaby and two other PhD students. Applications should be sent AS EMAIL ATTACHMENTS directly to both Palmer and Gaby, and should include a covering letter outlining your relevant training and experience, a CV, and transcripts of your academic history. Applications should be sent to Dr Bill Palmer bill.palmer newcastle.edu.au and Dr Alice Gaby alice.gaby monash.edu for more information.
Application Mailing Address:	Bill Palmer Email applications as attachments to: bill.palmer@newcastle.edu.au and alice.gaby@monash.edu 2308 Australia
Contact Information:	Bill Palmer bill.palmer@newcastle.edu.au