Support Announcement:

Level:	PhD
Duty:	Research
Linguistic Field(s):	Sociolinguistics Scottish Gaelic
Language Specialty:	Gaelic, Scottish
Application Deadline:	16-Aug-2012
Supporting Institution:	University of Glasgow Celtic & Gaelic
LL Issue:	23.3101
Posted:	18-Jul-2012
Support Description:	Applications are encouraged in relation to one or both of the following two research topics: (a) Urban Gaelic Communities and Gaelic Strategic Development This research will endeavour to assess in detail how urban Scottish Gaelic communities can be conceptualised, described and understood, how they function, who participates in them and who does not, and how speakers locate Gaelic within their lives in a predominantly non-Gaelic environment. The project will involve a close study of at least one well-developed urban Gaelic community, ideally Glasgow. In particular, the research will place emphasis on assessing how and in what ways initiatives to promote Gaelic may help strengthen these urban communities as part of a broader revitalisation strategy for Gaelic. (b) Gaelic in the Media: Social Discourses and Effects on Sociolinguistic Change This research will primarily be a sociolinguistic study of the use of Scottish Gaelic in the media and its effects on sociolinguistic change. It will investigate the various social discourses which surround the use of Gaelic in the media, including concepts such as 'Middle of the Minch Gaelic' and dichotomies such as 'domestic Gaelic' vs. 'BBC Gaelic', 'traditional Gaelic' vs. 'new Gaelic', 'good Gaelic' vs. 'bad Gaelic'. As well as describing key trends in usage and speaker's views on these, this study will also consider the implications of these for Gaelic language acquisition (including school education) policy, usage in Gaelic communities as well as the media, usage in 'official' contexts and other aspects of status and usage planning.
Application Mailing Address:	Professor Rob O Maolalaigh Celtic & Gaelic, School of Humanities 3 University Gardens Glasgow G12 8QQ United Kingdom
Application Web Address:	http://www.gla.ac.uk/media/media_237849_en.pdf
Contact Information:	Professor Rob O Maolalaigh Roibeard.OMaolalaigh@glasgow.ac.uk