PhD positions at U Amsterdam

[Hengeveld, P.C.]

Vacancy: The typology of topic and focus: information structure and clause structure.

The University of Amsterdam invites applications for two Ph.D. positions in general linguistics. These will form part of a research project on the typology of focus and topic and the discourse-syntax interface taking place at the Amsterdam Center of Language and Communication (ACLC) of the University of Amsterdam. Applicants should have an MA in linguistics and should demonstrate strong research potential as well as interest in other fields of linguistics besides their own domain of specialization. The two Ph.D. students will be expected to collaborate with the members of the research team. 

Ph.D.1: The typology of topic and focus: information structure
The aim of this project is to provide a typological characterization of the function of topic and focus in discourse, that is, how topic and focus are realized cross-linguistically, what their discourse properties are and in what way topic and focus interact with other discourse-related constructions such as wh-questions. This project therefore adopts a typological approach to the discourse-syntax interface by studying how discourse-linked properties and morphosyntax interact.

Profile: The ideal candidate is someone who has a particular interest in typological research, information structure, syntax and the syntax-pragmatics interface. In addition, the candidate should have a strong commitment to working on empirical data both from European and non-European languages and/or other less studied languages, in order to provide adequate descriptions where none is available. The candidate should therefore be prepared to do fieldwork where necessary.  
 
Ph.D2: The typology of topic and focus and functional structure
This project focuses on a smaller sample of typologically different languages in order to provide a fine-grained comparative analysis of the morphosyntax (and function) of topic and focus. This sub-project focuses on the topic-focus articulation within the functional structure of the clause and the determiner phrase. In line with the cartographic approach (Cinque 1999, Rizzi 1997), this project will provide a theoretical and empirical basis for the typology of positions that the study of focus and topic can build on.

Profile: The ideal candidate is someone who is strong in syntactic theory, with an emphasis on comparative syntax, and who has demonstrated interest in the interface between discourse/semantics and syntax. The successful candidate should have strong commitment to reconciling theoretical research and empirical research, and be prepared to work on both European and non-European languages and/or other less studied languages. Accordingly, the candidate will be expected to do fieldwork where necessary. 

Schedule: Both Ph.D. students will be on a 4-year research assistantship. In the first year and half of the project, all team members will collaborate in setting up a typological database with detailed information on the formal manifestation of topic and focus phenomena in a representative sample of languages. During this period, the Ph.D. students will cooperate in the construction of the database. After this period, each Ph.D. student will focus on the in-depth analysis of the relevant data for her/his thesis.

Required qualifications: MA in linguistics, obtained no longer than five years ago. The Ph.D. student will be appointed as 'assistant in opleiding (aio)' for a period of four years (full time) at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Amsterdam under the terms of employment currently valid for the Faculty.
 
Application: Candidates should send a covering letter, certified transcripts of their master's thesis (including a summary in English), and details of the programme followed, a CV, and the names of three referees.

Deadline: Candidates should submit applications by January 31st 2004. Applications postmarked after this date will not be taken into consideration.

Application address: Applications should be sent to the director of the ACLC, prof. dr A.E. Baker, Spuistraat 210, 1012 VT Amsterdam. 

Contact Information: Dr. Enoch Oladé Aboh, tel. 0031-20 525 3875, fax 0031-20 525 3021, email: e.o.aboh at uva.nl






-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lingtyp/attachments/20031222/5e3f7a44/attachment.htm>