[Lingtyp] postdoc positions in Leipzig: “Usage-based explanation of grammatical universals”

[Martin Haspelmath]

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS:

*Three postdoc positions in linguistics (for 5 years, German payscale 
TV-L E13)*

The postdocs are part of the ERC Advanced Grant Project “Usage-based 
explanation of grammatical universals” (five years from November 2015). 
The principal investigator is Martin Haspelmath.

The project’s goal is to document universal coding asymmetries in 
grammar and to look for usage-based explanations for them. The central 
thesis is that universal form asymmetries are found whenever there are 
universal frequency asymmetries and that this has a basis in speakers’ 
tendency to use short forms for predictable information.

We are primarily looking for typologists with a strong interest in 
grammatical universals as well as in usage-based and diachronic 
explanations.

The Ph.D. degree must have been completed well in time for the beginning 
of the project. The position does not involve any teaching obligations.

The project will be located at the University of Leipzig (Philological 
Faculty). Some more information about it can be found here: 
http://lingweb.eva.mpg.de/martinhaspelmath/?page_id=605.

Candidates should submit a two-page application text (in pdf), perhaps 
with about one page describing their background (pointer to personal 
website, mini CV, relevant previous research experience, etc), and one 
page explaining why they would be interested in joining this project and 
contributing to it. There is no need for reference letters.

Please send applications to Martin Haspelmath (haspelmath at shh.mpg.de).

Formal review of applications will begin on 24 August 2015. Informal 
inquiries can be sent before the application.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lingtyp/attachments/20150727/06c63426/attachment.htm>