Join the Melodies of the North research project and develop your doctorate focused on advancing principles and techniques for creating phonetic archives for low-resource languages. Using Frisian as a case study, your research will address methodological and theoretical aims such as studying language variation and change, developing AI tools, and managing diverse stakeholder interests. This project will also explore the application of FAIR principles and open data, among other topics. The creation of a digital archive of spoken Frisian, capturing the diversity of dialects across the region, will serve as a valuable product of this research.
Melodies of the North will result in a detailed digital archive of spoken Frisian, encapsulating the rich diversity of dialects found across the region. The project seeks not only to preserve these linguistic variations via a digital archive, but also to analyze their unique phonetic features. This multidimensional approach aims to enhance our understanding of Frisian's linguistic landscape, contribute to its preservation, and foster educational and research opportunities. Beyond its research objectives, Melodies of the North emphasizes community engagement, promoting a culture of linguistic stewardship, and empowering Frisian-speaking communities to actively participate in the preservation and revitalization of their language.
As a PhD candidate, you will investigate the phonetic landscape of spoken Frisian language and work on the systematic mapping of Frisian language varieties. Your research will focus on bridging technical acumen with linguistic insight to advance the understanding, preservation and documentation of Frisian varieties. Your research may address questions related to prosodic and segmental variation, cross-linguistic influence, speaker characteristics (e.g. type of bilinguals, attitudes, etc.) and / or code-switching, etc.
In the research proposal that you are requested to submit with your application, you can develop your own perspective on this research project, detailing how you would approach this topic. In your proposal, you may formulate your own research questions, and choose your own theoretical lens, methodology, and / or empirical material.
Your research tasks may include
Organisation
Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen enjoys an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative institution of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Flexible study programmes and academic career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 34,000 students and researchers alike to develop their own individual talents. As one of the best research universities in Europe, the University of Groningen has joined forces with other top universities and networks worldwide to become a truly global centre of knowledge.
Campus Fryslân is the ambitious eleventh and newest faculty of the University of Groningen, located in Leeuwarden. Campus Fryslân is an interdisciplinary faculty that works closely together with regional, national and international partners on worldwide (sustainability) challenges and local solutions. The sustainable development goals of the United Nations thus serve as an important guideline.
We offer challenging Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD degree programs. The research institute covers six research domains : Global and Local Governance, Governance and Innovation, Sustainable Entrepreneurship in a Circular Economy, Language, Technology and Culture, Knowledge Infrastructures and Sustainable Health. In the summer of 2019, Campus Fryslân has moved to the new faculty building De Beurs : the first all-electric, monumental educational building in The Netherlands.
Specifications
University of Groningen
Requirements
Conditions of employment
Fixed-term contract : 48 months.
In accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, the University of Groningen offers you :
The intended starting date is 1 October 2024. We allow 3 months from selection in case of VISA applications.