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Professor Randy LaPolla

Professor Randy LaPolla

Position: Chair of Linguistics
Director, Research Centre for Linguistics Typology
Room: DMBE 320
Tel: +61 3 9479 2555
Fax: +61 3 9479 1520
Email: r.lapolla@latrobe.edu.au

Qualifications: BA, MA (SUNY, Stony Brook); MA, PhD (UC Berkeley)
Administrative Responsibilities
  • Linguistics Program Coordinator
  • Director, Research Centre for Linguistic Typology
  • Chair, Publications Committee
  • Member, Research and Graduate Studies Committee
  • Member, HUSS Faculty Research and Graduate Studies Committee
  • Member, CACE Head's Advisory Committee
  • PEDS supervisor
Major Research Areas

Prof. LaPolla's work revolves around the recording and analysis (including comparative analysis) of Sino-Tibetan languages, and attempting to answer the question of why the languages of this language family are the way they are. A general interest in typology informs this work. From this work, he has also developed certain answers to more general theoretical questions, such as the nature of language and its function in communication.

Other Activities
  • President, Australian Linguistic Society (2007-2009).
  • Vice President, International Association for Bilingual Studies (since 2005).
  • Editor, Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area.
  • Deputy Editor, Journal of Sino-Tibetan Linguistics.
  • Cheung Kong Scholar (Chair Professor), Central University of Nationalities, Beijing, China (2005-2008).
  • Consulting Editor of Studies in Language.
  • Member, Editorial Board of Language and Linguistics (Institute of Linguistics, Academica Sinica).
  • Member, Editorial Board of Minzu Yuwen (Nationality Languages)
  • Member, International Advisory Board of Diachronica: International Journal for Historical Linguistics.
  • Member, Editorial Board of Nankai Yuyanxue Kan (Linguistics Journal of Nankai University)
  • Reviewer of submissions to Language, Studies in Language, Linguistic Typology, Cahiers de linguistique asie orientale, Language and Linguistics, Linguistics and Philosophy, Lingua, and other journals. I also review project proposals submitted to the Research Grants Council of HK, the National Science Foundation (USA), the Austrian Science Foundation (FWF), and the Australian Research Council.

For Prof. LaPolla's publications and other information, please go to http://tibeto-burman.net/rjlapolla/

 

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Content Approved by: Head of School
Page maintained by: Administrative Officer
Last Updated: 18 August, 2008