Linguistics
Our research consistently offers new insights into the structure, acquisition, use and history of our target languages, while also advancing linguistic theory.
A broad range of linguistic expertise
The strength and scope of research in Linguistics is a distinguishing feature of Modern Languages at Newcastle
We have a broad range of linguistic expertise and cover most of the major subfields of linguistics.
We consistently offer new insights into the structure, acquisition, use and history of our target languages. We advance linguistic theory.
Our Linguistics specialists regularly collaborate with colleagues in the School of Education, Communication and Languages Sciences and the School of English Language, Literature and Linguistics.
Diverse world languages
All staff associated with the Linguistics research field are connected to one of our School's language areas.
We also branch out to other languages. This results in a wide and diverse coverage of world languages which includes:
- Bosnian
- Serbian
- Croatian
- Dutch
- Norman and other varieties of France
- Quechua
Research areas
Our research overlaps with the Translation and Interpreting research field, and with research areas such as history, politics and society, literature and cultural studies.
We cover morphology, phonology and their interaction, as well as:
- syntax
- sociolinguistics
- discourse analysis
- psycholinguistics
- phonetics
Our research covers the present state of the respective languages as well as the historical (diachronic) perspective.
Our staff are authors of several reference grammars of some of the major European languages and of highly successful linguistics textbooks.
Staff and their specialisms
| Jade Du | Discourse analysis |
| Michael Jin | Psycholinguistics |
| Damien Hall | Phonetics |
| Carol Fehringer | Morphology, phonology and their interaction |
| Ian MacKenzie | Syntax |
| Josep Cru | Sociolinguistics |