“Investigating tense, aspect, modality and evidentiality: Theory and methodology”

In this mini-course we will discuss theoretical and methodological issues for researchers who are investigating tense, aspect, modality and evidentiality. In the morning session, we will start with a brief overview of some core theoretical assumptions, and then discuss semantic fieldwork methods, including translation tasks, acceptability judgment tasks, and storyboards. In the afternoon session, we will get more hands-on: we will collaboratively develop elicitation materials targeted for investigating TAME in languages of Mexico and surrounding areas.

Información importante:
Imparte: Lisa Matthewson, University of British Columbia
Profesora y Académica Universitaria Distinguida (Distinguished University Scholar)
Fecha: 19 de septiembre
Hora: 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Lugar: Instituto de Investigaciones Antropológicas - UNAM
Dictado en inglés

Semblanza:
Her research focuses on cross-linguistic variation in the semantics and pragmatics, and what variation (or the lack of it) tells us about Universal Grammar. Prof. Matthewson has been doing fieldwork on St’át’imcets (Lillooet Salish) since 1992, on Gitksan (Tsimshianic) since 2010, and on Niuean (Austronesian) since 2012. She has worked on a range of areas in semantics and the syntax/semantics interface, including determiners, quantifiers, pronouns, adverbs, lexical categories, tense, aspect, modals, mood, evidentials, mood, discourse particles and presupposition. Her research also focuses on the methodology of semantic fieldwork, and on endangered language preservation and oral history. She is involved in community language preservation initiatives, including contributing to the First Voices website for Northern St’át’imcets.