CV
Education
PhD in Linguistics: University of Edinburgh
2022-
Advisors:
Patrick Honeybone
Ben Molineaux
Pavel Iosad
MA in Linguistics: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
2019-2021
"Glide Clusters in Kinyarwanda: An Optimality Theoretic Analysis"
Advisors:
Claire Halpert
Anna Łubowicz
BA: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
2014-2018
Linguistics
Global Studies
Publications
Kieffer, B. (in press). A Critique of Areal-only Approaches to Bantu Spirantization. Proceeding Papers from the 54th Annual Conference on African Linguistics.
Conferences
Kieffer, B. (2024). Parallel Evolution of A Unique Spirantization Reflex in Lacustrine and Kilimanjaro Bantu [Conference presentation]. 11th World Congress of African Linguistics, Nairobi, Kenya.
Kieffer, B. (2023). A Life Cycle of BS [Poster Presentation]. 6th Edinburgh Symposium on Historical Phonology, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Kieffer, B. (2023). Bantu Phonology [Poster Presentation]. Royal Society of Edinburgh Workshop: Scotland - Africa: Enhancing Academic Partnerships, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Kieffer, B. (2023). Areal Models of Bantu Spirantization Predict Unattested Phonologies [Conference presentation]. 54th Annual Conference on African Linguistics, Storrs, CT, United States.
Kieffer, B. (2021). Variant Glide Repair Strategies in Kinyarwanda. [Conference presentation]. 52nd Annual Conference on African Linguistics, Gainesville, FL, United States.
Kieffer, B. (2017). An OT Analysis of Voicing Rules in Ket. [Conference presentation]. 12th Annual Cornell Undergraduate Linguistics Conference, Ithaca, NY, United States.
Talks
March 2024. Bantu Spirantization in Great Lakes Bantu. University of Edinburgh Phonetics/Phonology Workshop.
April 2023. Was Bantu Spirantization spread on a Wave, or down the Tree?. Angus McIntosh Centre Catch-up Session.
April 2021. Glide Clusters in Kinyarwanda: An Optimality Theoretic Analysis. University of Minnesota Linguistics Colloquium Series
November 2019. Hmoob Dawb Phonology. University of Minnesota Hmong Research Group.
Employment
Amazon Web Services
Machine Learning Data Linguist (May 2022-August 2022)
Contract Linguistic Annotator (July 2021-February 2022)
AmeriCorps
ReadingCorps Tutor, Chanhassen Elementary (August 2018-June 2019)