Job offer

The CNRS lab IKER (Center for the Study of the Basque Language and Texts, UMR5478) in Bayonne (France) is looking for a two-year postdoctoral researcher specialized in the syntax of OV languages.

The aim of this position is to contribute to a research project on verb-second (V2) effects in languages without (exact) V2, that is, languages other than the Germanic-type ones.

For this purpose, the candidate is expected to study the syntax of a language of their expertise with the following properties:

     - basic O(bject)-V(erb) order;

     - no verb-second (V2) word order in declarative clauses;

     - constituent movement in specific syntactic contexts (e.g., focalization, wh-movement, etc.) giving rise to reordering effects that affect the position of the verb, such as verbal adjacency effects, non-final verbs, (non-exact) V2 effects, etc.

The candidate will choose the language to study, but it will be, ideally, (one of) the language(s) they specialize in.

The candidate will join the IKER lab as a researcher in the Uncovering verb-second effects. An interface-based typology (UV2) project, financed by the French ANR and German DFG, and led by Maia Duguine (CNRS-IKER) and Georg A. Kaiser (Universität Konstanz). They will work under the supervision of Maia Duguine, and in collaboration with the other members of the project.

The UV2 project investigates adjacency requirements obtaining in syntactic configurations in which the finite verb occurs in second position, in a range of typologically and genetically related and unrelated non-(exact) verb second (V2) languages with basic SVO or SOV word order. (For a more detailed description of the UV2 project, see https://sites.google.com/view/uncovering-v2-effects)

By bringing into the project another OV language with “non-exact V2”, and working in close collaboration with the members of the UV2 project, the postdoc will contribute to the ongoing discussions on (i) the generalization whereby OV languages tend to be wh-in-situ languages, or more generally languages with no A'-movement, (ii) the status of these languages with respect to the V2 property and more generally with verbal adjacency effects, and (iii) the nature of cross-linguistic variation in the realm of V2 effects, from a generative perspective.

The postdoctoral researcher will be expected to participate actively in the UV2 research project, but also in the different events organized in the lab. There will be support for research-associated costs, including conference travel, etc. 

Profile:

     - A PhD in Linguistics, with a specialization in formal syntax.

     - A proven track record of high quality linguistic research.

     - Knowledge and research experience with a language with the properties listed above.

     - Fluency in both written and spoken English. Knowledge of French or Basque is an asset but not required.

     - An ability to work both independently and in a group.

Applicants should submit:

     - A curriculum vitae

     - A cover letter outlining the candidate's motivations

     - Optionally, professional references' contacts

Full announcement and application:

https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/UMR5478-MAIDUG-002/Default.aspx?lang=EN 

Only applications submitted via the https://emploi.cnrs.fr/ platform will be considered.

Contact:  maia.duguine@iker.cnrs.fr