Erin Guntly

I have two general research interests, one concerning experimental research into discourse, the other concerning the preservation and revitalization of endangered languages. Beyond my research, I have served as a student representative to the department, the job organizer for students, and an organizer for several conferences, including SULA 8, ICSNL 50 and 51, and NWLC 29 and 33.

Discourse research: Under the supervision of Lisa Matthewson, my dissertation concerns the use of response particles in managing the common ground; I am using an experimental methodology to look at how speakers use responses to manage shared information. This dissertation is at the interface of compositional semantics, psycholinguistics, and conversation and discourse analysis. My expected completion date is Summer 2018.

Endangered languages: I have worked with language communities and speakers of Ktunaxa (Isolate, BC), Tlingit (Dene, BC, Yukon, Alaska), and Nata (Bantu, Tanzania). Through my involvement with the UBC Working and Occasional Papers in Linguistics, I work with other researchers to create publish work documenting primarily Salish languages.

Beyond Linguistics: Before I began my PhD I served as a higher education volunteer for Peace Corps Ukraine, and I still work with people from Ukraine and other countries to help them write better in English. I enjoy reading widely, traveling when I can, studying music, and painting. I’m originally from Portland, Oregon.