Special Issue: Bill VanPatten Challenges the Language

[LINGUIST Network]

To: linglite at listserv.linguistlist.org
Subject: Special Issue: Bill VanPatten Challenges the Language

--------------------- Message 1 ----------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:01:06
From:  linguist [[log in to unmask]]
Subject: Bill VanPatten Challenges the Language Acquisitionists!

Dear Subscribers,

One of our very own subscribers and supporter, Bill VanPatten,
have brought up a new challenge to all 2nd language
acquisitionists. He believes that there are plenty of LINGUIST
readers who appreciate the information that they receive from
LINGUIST in the field of second language acquisition.

He poses today a challenge in his own words:

"second language acquisitionists also read Linguist List and
use it. I will donate an additional $500 if 10 second language
acquisitionists together donate $500 today. In addition, I will
match the final amount donated up to $1000! So, if second
language acquisitionists donate $955 like the syntacticians,
I'll donate $955 instead of $500."

This is an outstanding challenge! Make your donation be worth
much more by contributing today! Any amount you donate today
will be worth double! And we all know what that means: Fund
Drive will end MUCH faster!

Make this be the day that you raise yourself and help your
colleagues in a team effort to support LINGUIST!

Donate now at:
https://linguistlist.org/donation/donate/donate1.cfm

The LINGUIST Crew


--------------------- Message 2 ----------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:21:06
From:  linguist [[log in to unmask]]
Subject: Letter from Marisa Ferrara Boston, Former Crew Member

Dear members,

It has been several years since I left LINGUIST List,
and the LLers requested I give you an update on what
I have been doing since then.  I'm happy to say that
I stayed in the field and decided to pursue a Ph.D in
computational linguistics and cognitive science.  I'm
a 4th year student and have recently transferred to
Cornell University, where I continue to do research
with Dr. John Hale's lab.

My main focus is computational psycholinguistics, and
as part of my work for the lab I created a statistical
dependency parser that can predict human reading
difficulty as measured by eye fixation durations (you
can read about it here:
http://aclweb.org/anthology-new/P/P08/P08-2002.pdf).
At the moment I'm preparing to defend my dissertation
proposal, and also researching formal issues in
computational linguistics. If you like, you can read
more about my work here:
http://conf.ling.cornell.edu/Marisa/papers.html.

I have to admit that I just love what I do, and I always
remember that I could have never gotten to this point
without LINGUIST List.  It was only through LINGUIST List
that I developed an interest in programming: in fact, I
had never coded a thing before I started writing ColdFusion
and HTML for the website!  And, I would have never been
able to get my Master's Degree without Helen, Tony, and
all of the wonderful LINGUIST List supporters who funded
my assistantship.  Even now, LINGUIST List greets me
every morning with a whole RSS feed full of information
and resources so vital to a student trying to develop her
career.

Although I left in 2005, LINGUIST List continues to be a
part of me and my work.  I would like to thank each of
those supporters who donated in the past. You helped a
young researcher more than you can ever know.  For those
who haven't donated yet, there are many deserving and
capable students who are helping the discipline by working
behind the scenes at LINGUIST List.  Each of them would
love the chance to be able to develop their linguistics
career, but this is only possible with your donation.

Donate at:
https://linguistlist.org/donation/donate/donate1.cfm


Thank you,

Marisa Ferrara Boston


View Marisa's and other former crew members' letters
at: http://linguistlist.org/fund-drive/2009/former-ll-crew/