[Corpora-List] PhD studentship : computational modelling of language evolution using fluid construction grammars

Mon May 13 14:43:57 UTC 2013

PhD studentship : computational modelling of language evolution using fluid construction grammars

Paris, France

Description:

SONY CSL Paris (http://www.sonycsl.co.jp/lab/paris/) along with the LATTICE lab  (UMR8094, http://www.lattice.cnrs.fr/) are inviting applications for a fully funded PhD studentship (through an industrial Cifre grant: http://www.anrt.asso.fr/fr/espace_cifre/accueil.jsp) on the following topic: computational modelling of language evolution using fluid construction grammars. 

Fluid construction grammars are based on typed feature structures and are reversible (they can be used for generation as well as for analysis). There is already a large body of research on this formalism that has been successfully applied to a large variety of linguistic phenomena in different languages. More details and online publications can be found at: http://www.fcg-net.org/.

Current projects aim at providing a better description of the different parameters that play a role in language evolution. Different phenomena have already been studied, like case evolution in Germanic languages (van Trijp, 2012) or the emergence of grammatical agreement rules (Beuls & Steels, 2013). 

In this perspective, the PhD candidate will implement different linguistic phenomena that are especially relevant to historical linguistics using fluid construction grammars. We are especially interested in establishing a strong link between attested linguistic material and computational models, for example to explore further the timing of language change. This research will probably entails different evolution of the formalism.

- Beuls, K., & Steels, L. (2013). Agent-Based Models of Strategies for the Emergence and Evolution of Grammatical Agreement. PLOS ONE, 8(3), e58960. 
http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0058960

- van Trijp, Remi (2012). Not as Awful as it Seems: Explaining German Case through Computational Experiments in Fluid Construction Grammar. Proceedings of the 13th Conference of the European Chapter of the Association for Computational Linguistics. Avignon: France.
http://www.csl.sony.fr/downloads/papers/2012/vantrijp-12c.pdf

Required Skills:

Candidates should have an excellent working knowledge both of linguistics and of computer science. Some knowledge of historical linguistics is desirable. Good programming skills are required. The PhD will be co-supervised by Luc Steels (Sony CSL) and Thierry Poibeau (LATTICE). Both laboratories are located within the Paris area. 

How to apply?

Interested candidates are invited to send a CV as soon as possible to Thierry Poibeau (firtname.name at ens.fr). The following documents may then be requested: a letter of motivation, grade transcript and Master thesis. A candidate should ideally be selected before summer so that the PhD can begin during Autumn 2013 (taking into consideration the schedule to apply for a Cifre grant which may take up to three months). 

A Cifre grant is a 36 month contract. The gross salary is 1957 euros per month (net salary: around 1600 euros per month). 
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