M/F PhD Student in qualitative and quantitative approaches to language variation and language change

This thesis is part of a larger project investigating language variation and language change. The project involves data analysis and multi-agent modelling. It brings together members of the ICAR, DDL and Lidilem laboratories. The candidate will be hosted at the DDL laboratory, under the supervision of Anna Ghimenton and Nathalie Rossi-Gensane, but will work in close collaboration with the other members of the project.

Change and variation are fundamental properties of language. While it is accepted that the structures of populations and social interactions influence these properties, we are far from understanding the full complexity of this phenomenon and its dynamics. How are linguistic conventions constructed from inter-individual interactions? How do these conventions in turn influence the speakers? Socio-digital platforms provide both linguistic and social data that make it possible to propose new approaches to these questions.

The proposed thesis project focuses on the emergence of the textual genre "Wikipedia article". The doctoral student will characterize this genre and, based on the history of articles in the online encyclopaedia, will analyse how it has gradually developed over time. Emphasis will be placed on the role of interindividual interactions: by reconstructing a network of contributors 'interactions and analysing their linguistic trajectory from their individual contributions, the doctoral student will determine how s' establishes linguistic consensus within a population.

The candidate will hold a master's degree in language sciences providing her/him with fine and in-depth skills in linguistics and / or sociolinguistics. Interest in quantitative analysis and / or programming skills will be appreciated. The candidate is expected to work within an interdisciplinary collective while knowing how to demonstrate autonomy. She or he should also have the communication and editorial skills to share findings both with the rest of the team and in international conferences and journals.

Links
Research lab DDL: http://www.ddl.cnrs.fr/
Team DENDY: http://www.ddl.cnrs.fr/equipes/index.asp?Langue=FR&Equipe=7&Page=Present...