Postgraduate Profile

Stephen Logan

PhD Candidate, School of Humanities & Social Science

Discipline:   Linguistics
Faculty/Division:  Education and Arts
Email:    stephen.logan@uon.edu.au
Campus:  Callaghan, Newcastle

Current Research

PhD Thesis Title:  Documentation and Description of Ririo - a Highly Endangered Northwest Solomonic Language

Supervisors:    Dr. Bill Palmer (Principal) & Dr. Catriona Malau  

Abstract

Ririo is an Oceanic language which belongs to the Northwest Solomonic subgroup. It was traditionally spoken in the Ririo Area around Susuka village on North Choiseul in Solomon Islands. Today the language is critically endangered, with no more than three or four fluent speakers left alive. This situation has apparently arisen because of intermarriage patterns with speakers of neighbouring languages and because of the dominant status of Babatana across much of Choiseul. However, many people in the community view the Ririo language as an important marker of tribal identity, and are keen to begin preservation and revitalization efforts. This project will involve the documentation of Ririo, a description of its grammar and the production of some community language materials. The project is funded by the Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project, housed at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

Qualifications

  • 2010  PhD Candidate in Linguistics, University of Newcastle, Australia
  • 2010  MA Languages and Linguistics (Distinction), University of Manchester 
    Dissertation Title:  Descriptions of Space in Farsi
    Synopsis:  An investigation of the use of spatial frames of reference in the language of 10 native speakers of Farsi, using 2D and 3D stimuli.
  • 2006  BA (Hons.), English Literature and Spanish, University of Dublin, Trinity College.
    Dissertation Title:  Subjectivity and the Power of Representation
    Synopsis:  A study of letters written by Columbus and Hernán Cortés to the Catholic Monarchs and Charles V of Spain respectively, during the early colonisation of Latin America.

Languages

  • English (Native)
  • Spanish (Advanced)
  • Solomon Islands Pijin (Basic)

Professional Background

  • 2010  Teaching Assistant - Introduction to Semantics, Department of Linguistics, University of Manchester
  • 2009-2010  Student Intern - Centre of Excellence for Enquiry Based Learning (CEEBL), University of Manchester

Research Interests

  • Language documentation and description
  • Linguistic typology
  • Word classes
  • Information structure
  • Spatial language
  • Emotion, culture and language
  • Non-verbal communication