Lauren W Reed
About Me
I am a PhD student at the Australian National University. My research focuses on an elaborate adult rural homesign system used in a community in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. I also work with ways of signing used in the wider rural Highlands, and with ways of signing in Port Moresby, which include Papua New Guinea Sign Language, the emerging national sign language of PNG. I am interested in what emerging sign languages can tell us about both the nature and the evolution of human language; the contribution of hearing signers to the emergence of sign languages; and the multimodality of human language. I am a sibling of deaf adults and hearing user of Auslan (Australian Sign Language).
I am also a project manager in Ethics and Research Leadership at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). My team develops and maintains standards for ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who are Australia's First Nations. I provide advice on ethical Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research to the academic, business and government sectors, and to the wider community.
Publications
Reed, Lauren W. (Accepted). Sign networks: Nucleated network sign languages and rural homesign in Papua New Guinea. Language in Society.
Planer, Ronald J. & Lauren W Reed. (Accepted). Like hand, like mouth: On the role of gesture-linked mouth actions in the evolution of language. Biological Theory.
Reed, Lauren W & Lindsey, Kate L. (2021). “Now the story’s turning around”: Associated motion and directionality in Ende, a language of Papua New Guinea. In Koch, Harold & Guillaume, Antoine (Eds.), Associated Motion, pp. 357-383. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter Mouton.
Reed, Lauren W. (2020). "Switching caps": Two ways of communicating in sign in the Port Moresby deaf community, Papua New Guinea. Asia-Pacific Language Variation 6(1): 13:52. https://doi.org/10.1075/aplv.19010.ree [Auslan abstract available at https://benjamins.com/catalog/aplv.19010.ree/video/abstract]
Rumsey, Alan; Lauren W Reed; & Francesca Merlan. (2020). Ku Waru clause chaining and the acquisition of complex syntax. Frontiers in Communication 5, 19. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2020.00019
Reed, Lauren W & Rumsey, Alan. (2020). Sign languages in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. In Kendon, Adam, Sign language in Papua New Guinea: A primary sign language from the Upper Lagaip Valley, Enga Province, pp. 141-183. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/z.226.se1
Elizabeth M Ellis; Green, Jennifer; Inge Kral; & Lauren W Reed. (2019). Mara yurriku: Western Desert sign languages. Australian Aboriginal Studies (2): 89-111. Online: https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=807502779767538;res=IELIND
Publications in Progress
Theses
Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Sign languages of Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea, and their challenges for sign language typology. Master's thesis. Canberra: Australian National University. https://doi.org/10.25911/5d69027b5d5f8
Education
2020 - present
Doctor of Philosophy (in progress), Australian National University, Canberra
2019
Master of General and Applied Linguistics (Advanced), Australian National University, Canberra
2007
Bachelor of Arts (Arabic), Deakin University, Melbourne
2002
Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, RMIT University, Melbourne
Prizes
2019
University Medal, Australian National University
For exceptional academic excellence
2008
Alfred Deakin Medal, Deakin University
For outstanding academic, university and community achievements
Grants, Scholarships and Fellowships
2020 - present
Australian National University PhD scholarship (AUD $28,092 per annum)
2019
Jalwang Scholarship, Australian Linguistic Society (AUD $4,901)
To produce a picture dictionary of PNGSL, in partnership with the PNG Deaf Association and Buk Bilong Pikinini
2018
Language Documentation Grant, Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (AUD $8,574)
Documentation of Papua New Guinea Sign Language (PNGSL)
Student Experience Grant, College of Arts and Social Sciences, ANU (AUD $2,000)
For a fieldtrip for students learning Gamilaraay to Gamilaraay country
Co-grantees: Dr John Giacon and Professor Jane Simpson
Student Extracurricular Enrichment Fund grant, Postgraduate and Research Students Association, ANU (AUD $2,000)
To fund Auslan classes for ANU students
Granted to ANU Sign Language Collective
2017
Research Grant, Australian Linguistic Society (AUD $4,626)
To investigate sign language used in the rural Nebilyer and Kaugel Valleys, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea
Firebird Fellowship, Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research (USD $7,154)
To record traditional stories, hunting signs, and directionality in the grammar in Ende, Western Province, Papua New Guinea
Fellowship, Linguistic Institute, Linguistic Society of America (USD $2,000)
Fee waiver to attend the 2017 Linguistic Society of America Linguistic Institute, University of Kentucky
2016
Summer Research Scholarship, Australian National University (AUD $800)
To annotate a corpus of Ngaanyatjarra alternate sign language, used in Australia's Western Desert
Refereed Conference Papers
2019
Reed, Lauren W. (2019). A novel comparative method for young sign languages: Base comparison. Paper presented at Australian Linguistic Society annual meeting, Macquarie University, Sydney, 12 December. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.11356508
Reed, Lauren. (2019). “Culture sign is my favourite”: Bilingualism and identity in the Port Moresby deaf community. Paper presented at Symposium on Sociolinguistic Variation in Signed and Spoken Languages of the Asia-Pacific Region, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK, 12 July 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9758678
2018
Ellis, Elizabeth Marrkilyi; Green, Jennifer; Reed, Lauren; Simpson, Jane; & Kral, Inge. (2018). An exploration of the handshapes and phonology of Western Desert alternate sign languages. Paper presented at Australian Languages Workshop, Marysville, Victoria, 3 March.
2017
Reed, Lauren & Rumsey, Alan. (2017). Initial observations of mouth action distribution, type, and variation in Kailge Sign Language, an undocumented sign language of Papua New Guinea. Paper presented at Australian Linguistic Society annual conference, University of Sydney, 6 December.
Refereed Conference Posters
2019
Reed, Lauren W & Rumsey, Alan. (2019). Sign networks, and a nucleated network sign language of Papua New Guinea. Poster presented at TISLR13 (Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research), University of Hamburg, 26 September 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9896489
Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Co-expression of past and future in a sign language of rural Papua New Guinea. Poster presented at TISLR13 (Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research), University of Hamburg, 27 September 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9901727.v1
Reed, Lauren W. (2019). A sociolinguistic sketch of the Port Moresby deaf community and Papua New Guinea Sign Language. Poster presented at TISLR13 (Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research), University of Hamburg, 28 September 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9896429
2017
Reed, Lauren & Rumsey, Alan. (2017). Initial observations of mouth action type and distribution in an undocumented sign language of Papua New Guinea. Poster presented at the 2017 Linguistic Society of America Linguistic Institute, University of Kentucky, Lexington, 16 July.
Presentations, Seminars and Invited Talks
2020
Reed, Lauren W. (2020). Widening the lens on "Generation 0". Emergence of Language in Social Interaction (ELISA) kick-off meeting, Tilburg University, 17 December.
Reed, Lauren W. (2020). "Switching caps": Exploring bilingual practices in deaf Port Moresby. Language Talks! seminar series, University of New England, 29 October. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.13159742
Reed, Lauren W. (2020). Sign networks: Insights from Papua New Guinea for sign language typology. CoEDL Fest, University of Queensland, 5 February.
Reed, Lauren W and Rumsey, Alan. (2020). Ku Waru clause chains and the acquisition of complex syntax. CoEDL Fest, University of Queensland, 5 February.
Reed, Lauren W. (2020). Sign linguistics for non-sign linguists (CoEDL Fest crash course series). CoEDL Fest, University of Queensland, 3 February.
2019
Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Verb 'agreement' in a sign language of Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Presentation to Deafness, Cognition and Language Research Centre, University College London, 7 October.
Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Verb 'agreement' in a sign language from Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Presentation to Sign Pop-Up, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 20 September.
Reed, Lauren. (2019). Understanding and not-understanding among sign language users in the New Guinea Highlands. Presentation to the Rumsey Symposium, Australian National University, 15 August. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9761489
Planer, Ronald J. and Reed, Lauren. (2019). Handling the data: The role of emerging sign languages in the study of language evolution. Presentation to the University of Edinburgh, 17 July.
Reed, Lauren and Rumsey, Alan. (2019). Young sign languages, multimodality and rapid language evolution in Papua New Guinea. Presentation to CoEDL Fest, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 4 February. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9759572
2018
Reed, Lauren; Rumsey, Alan; Merlan, Francesca; & Onga, John. (2018). The communicative ecology of deaf sign languages in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Seminar for the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University, Canberra, 12 October. Presentation available to watch via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNDZPpEJkH0, and slides via https://cloudstor.aarnet.edu.au/plus/s/2ShUz8KKfmK8YaM
Reed, Lauren. (2018). “Now the story’s turning around”: Directionality and associated motion in Ende, a language of southern New Guinea. Presentation to workshop, Directionality or associated motion? Evidence from diverse languages, Australian National University, Canberra, 22 June.
2017
Reed, Lauren & Rumsey, Alan. (2017.) New research on a vernacular sign language in the New Guinea Highlands. Seminar for the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University, Canberra, 18 August.
Reed, Lauren (2017.) ‘Speaking by moving’: Ngaanyatjarra traditional sign language. Presentation to the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University, Canberra, 19 January.
Reed, Lauren. (2017). Primary and alternate sign languages: Auslan and Ngaanyatjarra sign language. Presentation to National Youth Science Forum, Australian National University, Canberra, 5 January.
Community Resources
2018
I designed, filmed and recorded "Gagan: Colours in Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay & Auslan" in partnership with Winanga-Li Aboriginal Child and Family Centre, Gunnedah, New South Wales. The video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1wPrgNv6f8
2017
In conjuction with Kate L. Lindsey and the Ende Language Committee, I worked with the Ende community in Limol, Western Province, Papua New Guinea to transcribe, translate and illustrate two books of hunting and fishing stories in Ende, a Pahoturi River language of PNG:
Corpora
Rumsey, Alan; Andrew Noma; Lauren Reed; Naomi Peck; Charlotte van Tongeren; & Stephanie Yam. (Finalised, awaiting accession). ACQDIV portion of the Ku Waru Child Language Socialization Study (KWCLSS).
Contributer to: Lindsey, Kate L. (collector). (2019). Language Corpus of Ende and other Pahoturi River Languages (LSNG08). Digital collection managed by PARADISEC. doi: 10.26278/5c1a5cfcaacde
Teaching
2021
Tutor, Tjabal Centre, Australian National University
Gamilaraay (an Australian Aboriginal language) (INDG2003)
2020
Coordinator, co-lecturer (with Alexandra Marley) and tutor, Australian National University
Introduction to the Study of Language (LING1001/6001)
Guest lecturer, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University
Papuan Languages (LING3031/6031)
2019
Tutor, Tjabal Centre, Australian National University
Gamilaraay (an Australian Aboriginal language) (INDG 2003 and INDG 2004)
Guest lecturer, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University
Language, Culture, Translation (LING 2015/6015)
Cross Cultural Communication (LING 2021/6021)
Child Language Acquisition (LING 2521/6521)
2018
Guest lecturer, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University
Learning an Indigenous Australian Language (AUST 1001/6008)
Language in Indigenous Australia (LING 2016/6016)
Academic and Industry Employment
October 2020 - present
Project manager, Ethics and Research Leadership team, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
Secretariat to the AIATSIS Research Ethics Committee's review of research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities
Preliminary review and vetting of ethics applications submitted to the AIATSIS Research Ethics Committee
Providing ad-hoc ethics advice to the academic, government and community sectors, with specific regard to Australia's National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research and the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research
August 2020 - September 2020
Project officer, Ethics and Research Leadership team, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
Secretariat to the AIATSIS Research Ethics Committee's review of research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities
Preliminary review and vetting of ethics applications submitted to the AIATSIS Research Ethics Committee
March 2017 - October 2020
Research assistant to Professor Alan Rumsey, Australian National University
Coordinating Professor Rumsey's team of research assistants
Working with corpus managers to clean and refine the corpus for quantitative analysis
Glossing in FLEx of child language material in Ku Waru, a Trans-New-Guinea language of Papua New Guinea
Coding and analysis of child language material for research projects, such as a study into the acquisition of clause chains by children
Preparing Ku Waru data for accession to ACQDIV, a corpus of child language acquisition data in maximally diverse languages
Developing and maintaining the Ku Waru Child Language and Socialization Study website
August 2019 - June 2020
Research assistant to Dr Danielle Barth, Australian National University
Annotation in ELAN of gesture and enactment by speakers of Matukar Panau, an Austronesian language of Papua New Guinea
March 2017 - October 2018
Research assistant to Dr Jennifer Green, University of Melbourne
Annotation in ELAN of alternate sign language used in Ngaanyatjarra, Warlpiri and Gurindji communities of Australia
Professional Activities and Service
2020-present
Editorial board member, Ishara Research Series
2020-2022
Australasia regional representative, Sign Language Linguistics Society (co-held with Gabrielle Hodge and Rachel McKee)
Member, Sign Language Linguistics Society
2020
Reviewer, ANU Student Research Conference
Reviewer, First Language
Co-organiser (with Alan Rumsey), 'Aksen: Sign, gesture and multimodality in Australia and Papua New Guinea', conference which was to be held at Australian National University, Canberra, 6-8 October. Postponed due to COVID-19.
Co-organiser (with Matthew Carroll and Nick Evans), Papuan Languages Workshop, workshop which was to be held at Australian National University Kioloa Coastal Campus, New South Wales, 27-31 March. Postponed due to COVID-19.
2018
Organiser, 'Directionality or associated motion? Evidence from diverse languages', workshop at Australian National University, Canberra, 22 June.
Founding Member, Australian National University Sign Language Collective
2017-present
Affiliate, Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (acceptance via application)
2016-present
Member, Australian Linguistic Society
Languages
In order of competence: English, Auslan, Tok Pisin, French, Arabic, Gamilaraay
Non-Academic Work History
Prior to starting in linguistics, I worked as a food writer and food tour guide, specialising in Melbourne's culturally diverse Western suburbs. You can see my old blog and professional website here. Prior to that, I worked as an audio typist of forensic psychiatric and medicolegal documents, and in hospitality. I also taught English to adults in Melbourne on a volunteer basis. I am a mother and stepmother to four unique and wonderful children, born 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2017.
When not doing linguistics...
I love birding; bushwalking; camping; long slow road trips; ferreting out cheap and cheerful restaurants, at home and abroad; fancying maps, both old and new; and adventures with my kids, dog and husband (philosopher of science Dr Ronald J. Planer). I am a keen aquarist and spend much time fussing over my swordtails, guppies, angelfish and plecos.