LINGUIST List 26.2505
Fri May 15 2015
Jobs: Anthropological Linguistics; Phonetics: Post Doc, University of Padova
Editor for this issue: Andrew Lamont <alamontlinguistlist.org>
Date: 15-May-2015
From: Maria Grazia Busà <mariagrazia.busa
unipd.it>
Subject: Anthropological Linguistics; Phonetics: Post Doc, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
E-mail this message to a friend University or Organization: University of Padova, Italy
Department: Dept. of Linguistic and Literary Studies
Job Location: Padova, Italy
Web Address:
http://www.maldura.unipd.it/LCL/index.html Job Title: Jr. Speech Scientist
Job Rank: Post Doc
Specialty Areas: Anthropological Linguistics; Phonetics
Description:
Job Summary
The Dept. of Literary and Linguistic Studies at the University of Padova, Italy, is offering a 24-month post-doc-level research position to a highly motivated junior speech scientist interested in pursuing research on the interaction of speech and gestures in second-language communication.
The candidate will work, as a member of the research team, in the project “Encoding meaning in a second language: the role of gestures and prosody”, coordinated by Prof. M. G. Busà. The project is aimed at investigating (1) how L2 learners at different stages of L2 acquisition use gestures; (2) how learners’ use of gestures in the L2 is synchronized with their production of L2 prosody; (3) how learners’ use of gestures and prosody is perceived and interpreted in communication with native and non-native speakers. The main languages of investigation will be: English as L1 and L2; Italian as L1 and L2. Other languages may be added for comparison.
Profile
The profile of the ideal candidate for this project is that of an experimental phonetician with an interest in non-verbal language. A knowledge of second language acquisition will be a plus. A knowledge of the Italian language will be appreciated but not a strict requirement (but the candidate will have to learn about Italian linguistics). The candidate will need to have theoretical and practical knowledge of most, if not all, of the following:
- Experimental procedures in phonetics;
- Speech analysis software;
- Acoustic analysis of segmental and suprasegmental speech data;
- Manipulation and resynthesis of speech data for the creation of perceptual stimuli;
- Notations used for the transcription of intonation and prosody;
- Theory and analysis of gestures;
- Multi-layered annotation tools for the analysis of multi-track signals (e.g., Elan);
- Methods and software for statistical analyses (Systat, R, or similar).
As a member of the research team, the candidate will also have to collaborate with the team in advancing the status of the research with original ideas and by helping in the organization of seminars, scientific conferences, as well as spreading the research results by giving presentations at conferences and writing papers. The candidate will be encouraged to develop his or her own line of investigation within the research project and actively lead this subproject.
Benefits
The project spans over a wide research area, including the acoustics of foreign accent, analysis of gestures, language acquisition, and communication in multilingual and multicultural contexts. The Language and Communication Lab at the University of Padova gathers a research team that is small, but growing, and leaves space for individuals’ initiatives. It represents a great opportunity for a young researcher to expand their area of expertise and gain an understanding of a growing field.
Application Procedure
Students interested in applying should contact Maria Grazia Busà (email below) as soon as possible, and no later than May 30, 2015. Interested candidates should send a complete CV, a sample research paper, and a brief expression of interest.
The application procedure will require the interested to send all the documentation via certfied mail to: Direttore Disll at the application address below.
The list of the documents required for the application can be found at:
http://www.disll.unipd.it/ Application Deadline: 04-Jun-2015
Mailing Address for Applications:
Direttore DiSLL Michele Cortelazzo
Dip. Studi Linguistici e Letterari
Università di Padova
P.zza Folena 1
Padova 35137
Italy
Web Address for Applications:
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/fgDetails/84085 Contact Information:
Prof. Maria Grazia Busà
Email: mariagrazia.busa
unipd.it
Page Updated: 15-May-2015