Setayesh Dashti

Hi! I am a DPhil student at the University of Oxford, working on the intersection of theoretical semantics and syntax with historical linguistics. My DPhil project, suprervised by Prof. John Lowe, focuses on the semantics and syntax of relativization in Old Iranian languages from a theoretical perspective, and both in diachrony and synchrony. 

I will soon take up a short-term research fellowship at the NegLab (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt & University of Göttingen) to work on negation and aspect in Persian.

During Fall 2023, I was a visiting scholar at the Department of Linguistics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, working with Prof. Rajesh Bhatt.

Prior to my DPhil, I completed a MSt in Oriental Studies at Oxford, a tailor-made course in which I did two papers on Syntax and Avestan. Before that, I received a dual undergraduate degree in Persian literature and French literature from the University of Tehran.

In my research, I am interested in 

1. interface of historical and theoretical semantics and syntax: how diachrony can help us better understand synchrony and how theoretical methods should be employed in working with ancient languages; 

2. negation, aspect, and event semantics, especially in the context of Modern Persian as well as typology; 

3. relativization, mainly correlatives, free relatives, and head-internal relatives; 

4. diachrony of Early New Persian to Modern Persian. 

Additionally, I really like to read and think about theories of syntax and formal methods in linguistics. I like everything that has to do with function application! :)

I my spare time, I like to read novels or non-fictions about science, politics, economics and philosophy. More on what I read on my  Goodreads page (feel free to add me if you have an account)!