37.1603, Support: Dutch, French; Semantics, Syntax, Text/Corpus Linguistics: PhD, Ghent University

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-37-1603. Wed Apr 29 2026. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 37.1603, Support: Dutch, French; Semantics, Syntax, Text/Corpus Linguistics: PhD, Ghent University

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Date: 28-Apr-2026
From: Peter Lauwers [peter.lauwers at ugent.be]
Subject: Dutch, French; Semantics, Syntax, Text/Corpus Linguistics: PhD, Ghent University


Institution/Organization: Ghent University

Level: PhD

Duties: Research, Teaching

Specialty Areas: Semantics; Syntax; Text/Corpus Linguistics
Required Language(s): Dutch (nld)
                      French (fra)

Description:

PhD position in French/Dutch linguistics, Ghent University
We are looking for a PhD candidate for a period of four years (100%
employment), starting in October 2026. The project is funded by the
Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO); project G091726N (FWO PRJ Senior
2026).
The project is situated in the field of syntax and semantics of modern
French and Dutch and deals with the mass/count distinction, in
collaboration with Prof. Wiltrud Mihatsch, University of Tübingen. The
project will lead to a PhD in linguistics. A brief summary of the
project can be found below.
Required Profile:
 - Master’s degree in linguistics or in languages and literatures
(with a major in linguistics), specializing in French or Dutch
 - Active proficiency in both French and Dutch (at least C1 level, and
preferably native proficiency in at least one of the two languages)
 - Interest in corpus linguistics, including quantitative approaches
Applicants are asked to send their CV (including transcripts of
grades), along with a cover letter, to the following address:
peter.lauwers at ugent.be.
Application deadline: June 10, 2026. The best candidates will be
invited for an interview (possibly online).
Both graduates and students who will obtain their degree in June or
September are eligible. The position is expected to start on October
1, with the possibility of postponing it by a few weeks.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us (Peter
Lauwers, peter.lauwers at ugent.be,
https://research.flw.ugent.be/en/peter.lauwers).
Summary:
Compacting the residue in the Mass/Count domain: on ‘singular’
singularia tantum in French and Dutch
For more than one Century, nouns, or more precisely noun senses, have
been considered either countable (one table, two girls) or uncountable
or “mass” (sand, blood). Although recent large-scale empirical
investigations have somewhat nuanced this binary view, it has
remarkably well survived in the theoretical literature (language
philosophy, logical semantics). However, there remains an important
residue that does not fall into this binary divide: Engl. limelight,
midst; Fr./Du. peste/pest, enfer/hel, odorat/reukzin; Fr. blancheur
etc. As they only accept definite determiners, they are neither count
nor mass. Crucially, they are not compatible with the partitive
article, the hallmark of masshood in French (and with the zero article
in Dutch). In the  French linguistic tradition, some of them have been
united under the umbrella of “compact” nouns. They are “compact” in
the sense that their reference is not divisible; it resists to any
form of quantification. The aim of this project is thus to explore and
structure the uncharted territory of these quite singular singularia
tantum with in-depth corpus analyses (attested usage), completed with
acceptability experiments. To this end, we compare two typologically
different languages with respect to mass/count marking, French and
Dutch. The project will have important consequences for the mass/count
distinction in general, and for  the opposition between common noun
and proper name, especially with regard to monoreferential nouns
(soleil ‘sun’, enfer ‘hell’).

Application Deadline: 10-Jun-2026

Mailing Address for Applications:
        Peter Lauwers
        Belgium
Email Address for Applications: peter.lauwers at ugent.be

Contact Information:
Peter Lauwers



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