News
Visiting Speaker: Alex Chabot
The Department of Linguistics is delighted to announce a colloquium talk by Dr. Alex Chabot from University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Chabot's research interests are in phonology, cognitive science, neurolinguistics, and philosophy of science. He will be speaking on Scientific Realisim in Phonology. Details below.
Friday, September 20
1:00-2:00
SN2036
Scientific Realism in Phonology: What You Get Is Not What You Hear
Contemporary phonology presents an array of various theories, with some common assumptions as well as many points of incommensurate divergence. Our ultimate goal is to explain why human language is the way it is, instead of being some other way. While most theories are adequate in that they can recapitulate the data collected by linguists in the field and described in grammars, if we believe that phonological theories are explanatory models of something in human brains, then we must be able to select from among them in order to develop a theory which models actual human knowledge. This enterprise is made difficult when theories do not agree on the basal components needed for descriptive and explanatory adequacy. This talk is a discussion of what kinds of properties characterize the three basic parts of a phonological theory: representations, computational operations, and interfaces between phonology and other components of the grammar.
Phonology Workshop
In conjunction with the colloquium talk by Dr. Alex Chabot, the Linguistics Department will be holding a workshop. The schedule is below.
Linguistics Seminar Room (SN3038)
14:20 – 14:45 Shanti Ulfsbjorninn
Schwa, Lenition and Metathesis in Hawu: a virtual length account
14:45 – 15:15 Faris Rababa
Tongue Root Harmony in Urban Jordanian Arabic
15:15 – 15:45 Yvan Rose
Toward a better understanding of the nature and content of UG: If it’s demonstrably learnable, let's assume it’s not innate
15:45 – 16:15 Alex Chabot
Long vowels and reduced vowels at the phonetics/phonology interface
2023
November
Assistant Professor - Syntactic Theory (Summer 2024)
Assistant Professor - Syntactic Theory (Department of Linguistics)
May
Bringing Artificial Intelligence to Language and Culture Preservation
Canadian Indigenous languages are critically endangered. Language revitalization programs, such as the Indigenous Languages Act, need to evolve with technology to halt or reverse the decline of endangered languages. In this talk, Dr. Sajad Saeedi, an Assistant Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, will discuss novel techniques for developing and utilizing affordable and efficient technologies to aid the revitalization of Indigenous languages. Read full event details.
March
Dr. Welch Helping Preserve Indigenous Language in Labrador with 2 Collaborative Projects
Innu-aimun, an Indigenous language of Labrador and Quebec, is in the early stages of attrition. To assess and address the issue, Memorial’s Department of Linguistics is collaborating with Mamu Tshishkutamashutau Innu Education (MTIE) on two projects working towards the preservation of thsi INdiegenosu language. Dr. Nicholas Welch, Memorial’s Canada Research Chair in change, adaptation and revitalization of Indigenous languages, and Kanani Davis, chief executive officer of MTIE, are co-leading the projects. Read more in the Gazette.
February
Per Course instructor Position: Spring 2023
We are hiring a per course instructor to teach Introduction to Linguistics. See: Per Course Instructor Position (LING 1100)
2022
November
Congrats to All Students Named to the 2021-2022 Dean's List!
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Congratulations to all students named to the 2021-2022 Dean's List, as well as the Program Book Prize winners, and receipients of the Dean's Award for Academic Excellence, and the HSS International Student Excellence Award.
September
Finding an elective has never been easier
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The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) has hundreds of courses that have zero or one prerequisite. To make it easy for our students to find electives of interest, we have launched a searchable listing of electives that you can browse by semester and subject.
August
Fall Welcome Session for New Students
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On Sept. 6, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is hosting a welcome event to help new students get started on the right track. At this interactive event, you'll hear from the Dean and Associate Dean of Curriculum and Programs, learn more about areas of study in HSS, and meet other HSS students! Register now: https://loom.ly/TTXWfYo
June
HSS Commons Student Space Cozier Than Ever
When we think of university campuses, we picture lecture halls and labs. But what about a space for that time between classes? It is equally essential to have a comfortable space to study or kick back and relax between lectures. The newly refurbished Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) Commons, in SN-1107, offers HSS students such a space. Check out this Gazette article on why interim Dean, Dr. Craig, wanted to rejuvenate this space for students.
March
Watch Dean Craig in Conversation with Alumna Jennifer Dodge
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Jennifer Dodge (BA'97) is the president of Spin Master Entertainment, a leading global children's entertainment company. On March 3rd 2022, Dr. Ailsa Craig, acting dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as several students in our faculty, spoke with Jennifer about her career trajectory since graduating from Memorial, and how her with joint degree in linguistics and psychology has shaped her life, personally and professionally. Read more.
2021
October
W22 Per-Course Instructor Ads
Advertisements for Per-Course Instructor Positions for Winter 2022.
August
Course Offerings Fall 2021 / Winter 2022
- Course offerings, F21-W22
- F21 LING courses, profs, classrooms. Some classes are offered in 'hybrid' format (classes will take place either on campus or in Brightspace). If you have questions, email linguist@mun.ca and make sure to attend the first class (on campus).
May
2020
November
October
2019
August
Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie - President's Award for Public Engagement Partnerships 2019
Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie, Professor Emerita in Linguistics, has been awarded the President's Award for Public Engagement Partnerships 2019. The Innu Language Project has been selected to receive a President's Award for Public Engagement Partnerships. This award celebrates excellence in collaborative activities between the public and members of Memorial's community. Congratulations to Marguerite and her team!
2018
November
March
A new online version of the Proto-Algonquian Dictionary
Dr. John Hewson's 1993 book Proto-Algonquian Dictionary has been re-issued in online form at: https://protoalgonquian.atlas-ling.ca. This new version has had typos and minor database errors corrected. Dr. Hewson is Professor emeritus in the Linguistics department.
2017
December
2017 Memorial University Pensioners' Association Tribute Award For Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie
Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie, professor emerita in Linguistics, has been awarded the 2017 Memorial University Pensioners' Association Tribute Award. Dr. MacKenzie's ongoing work with aboriginal communities of this province and beyond was recognised as exceptional ongoing scholarly activity, which makes an important contribution to the university and to wider communities which it serves.
June
May
Governor General's Innovation Award
Dr. Marie-Odile Junker of Carleton University has been awarded a Governor General’s
Innovation Award for her work on the Algonquian Linguistic Atlas.
This work began in collaboration with Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie of our
department, in a joint project to put an East Cree phrase book into CD
format. The Atlas and other materials grew out of that and is featured in this article
Place names in Labrador
Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie's research into place names in Labrador features in this article in the MUN Gazette.
https://gazette.mun.ca/research/landmark-achievement/
March
Aboriginal Peoples Week
Two faculty members in Linguistics will be giving public presentations on aboriginal languages of the province.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Introductory Session on Innu-aimun
Presenter: Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie
11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The Landing, Room UC-3018, University Centre
Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie, professor emerita with the Department of Linguistics, will facilitate an introductory session on the Innu language, Innu-aimun.
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Introductory Session on the Inuttitut Language
Presenter: Dr. Douglas Wharram
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
MUNSU Council Chambers, Room UC-2001, University Centre
Dr. Douglas Wharram, Assistant Professor with the Department of Linguistics, will facilitate an introductory session on the Inuttitut language.