New PhD scholarship for a project on language variation and change

The School of Welsh, Cardiff University, and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, are pleased to announce a new doctoral project on language variation and change in contemporary Wales.

The research project will be supervised by Dr Iwan Wyn Rees and Dr Jonathan Morris. The successful candidate will be expected to have obtained a 2:1 or first class undergraduate degree, and should have completed a postgraduate course in an appropriate subject before embarking on this project.

The doctorate is funded by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and School of Welsh.  It will start on 25 September 2017.

The main aim of the project is to analyse the influence of linguistic and social factors on variation in Welsh. By collecting data from one or two specific communities, the applicant will use quantitative methods to show to what extent various social factors affect the use of certain dialectal features.

Dr Jonathan Morris said: "This is an exciting and timely project. It's a great opportunity for a student to contribute to new research which will consider the impact of current social and political developments on language variation and change in specific communities."

Dr Iwan Wyn Rees added: "While there is much information already available on varieties of spoken Welsh, few previous studies actually consider the impact of recent changes in the demographics and the status of the Welsh language in Wales on the development of Welsh dialects.”

If you are a student who is interested in dialects and sociolinguistics, the School would like to hear from you. For more information and to receive an application form please contact Cadi Thomas: +44 (0) 29 2087 4843, thomasCR9@caerdydd.ac.uk

Eligibility criteria

Candidates will have a 2:1 or first class undergraduate degree, and will have successfully completed a postgraduate course in a suitable subject before embarking on this project. All tuition fees are paid on behalf of the successful candidate (worth £ 4,195 per year). An annual bursary of £14 553 is also provided. Please note that the ability to collect data and present research findings in Welsh, both orally and in writing, is essential for this post.

Deadline for applications: 5/6/17 (5pm)
Interview date (in Cardiff or via Skype): 9/6/17