When we study human language, we are approaching what some might call the ‘human essence,’ the distinctive qualities of mind that are, so far as we know, unique to man and that are inseparable from any critical phase of human existence, personal or social. Hence the fascination of this study, and, no less, its frustration. – Noam Chomsky (1972)

Postdoc

• Dr. Angeliki Athanasopoulou (2017–2019)
  • Prosody of Plains Cree
  • Acquisition of prosody; sound symbolism
    Co-supervisor: Dr. Suzanne Curtin (PSYC)

PhD

• Vincent Nwosu
  • Studies in English pitch accent (2026)
• BrettC Nelson
  • Learning the Sounds of Silence: Adult acquisition of Kaqchikel (Mayan) plain and glottalized stop consonants (2023)
• Mohammad Alsamaani
  • VOT and F0 in the production and perception of Swahili obstruents: From the island to the coast to the inland region (2021)
    Co-supervisor: Dr. Stephen Winters
• Dr. Philothe Kabasele (prof. Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de la Gombe)
  • A systematic investigation of mid-vowel sounds in Kinshasa Lingala: a case of extreme contrast reduction (2018)
• Dr. Joseph W. Windsor
  • From phonology to syntax — and back again: hierarchical structure in Irish and Blackfoot (2017)
    Co-supervisor: Dr. Elizabeth Ritter
• Dr. Sameera Allihibi
  • The nominal inflectional suffix -e(t) in Damascus Arabic: a network morphology account (2017)
• Dr. Kelly Murphy
  • Melodies of Hawai’i: the relationship between Hawai’i Creole English and Olelo Hawai’i prosody (2013)
• Dr. Ashley Burnett
  • Enclisis in Early Old French (2011)

MA

• Kody Tufts
  • Dene Sųłiné non-segmental morphology: Implications for morphological theory (2023)
    Co-supervisor: Dr. Amanda Pounder
• Merion Hodgson
  • Voice onset time in Plains Cree (2020)
    Co-supervisor: Dr. Angeliki Athanasopoulou
• Dr. Joseph W. Windsor
  • When nothing exists: the role of zero in the prosodic hierarchy (2012)
• Dr. Emily Elfner
  • The mora in Blackfoot (2006)
• Corey Telfer
  • Coronalization as assibilation (2006)
• Elizabeth Stacy
  • Phonological aspects of Blackfoot prominence (2004)
  • B.A. Honours

BA Honours

• Sarah Krassman
  • Emic and etic perspectives of iconicity: Emergent phonology blocks iconic notions in L1 American Sign Language (2024)
• Bethany Joo
  • Why some kids have pet tats instead of pet cats: An exploration into the cause of positional velar fronting in English speaking children (2024)
• Rein Sastok
  • The problem of Estonian quantity (2013)
• Jen Grond
  • Q is not a word: a critical review of artificial language research (2013)
• Jessi L. Cobler
  • You had me at muktuk: a preliminary exploration of the internet as a tool for linguistic research on Inuit youth language (2013)
• Niah Colburn
  • The role of geminates in the syllable structure of Tashlhiyt Berber: a moraic analysis (2011)
• Joey Windsor
  • Phono-morpho-syntax and all points in between: Irish lenitions and the prosodic phrase (2010)
• Karine Dupuis
  • Vowel coalescence and neutralization in Québec French (2008)
• Deanna Jager
  • Length in Blackfoot (2005)
• Emily Elfner
  • The role of sonority in Blackfoot phonotactics (2004)
• Corey Telfer
  • Palatalisation in Dakota (2003)