PhD Positions in Linguistics

Two open full-time positions in Linguistics at KU Leuven (Research Group QLVL)

IN A NUTSHELL The research group Quantitative Lexicology and Variational Linguistics (QLVL) at KU Leuven has two open full-time PhD Positions in Linguistics on the topics of semantic change and semantic drift in lexis and grammar. Both positions are part of the MSCA Doctoral Network CASCADE (Computational Analysis of Semantic Change Across Different Environments), which is a collaboration of universities and companies from Ireland, Belgium, Finland, Germany, and the United Kingdom. ABOUT THE MSCA DOCTORAL NETWORK CASCADE CASCADE aims to train early-stage researchers to develop and apply innovative methodologies for Computational Analysis of Semantic Change Across Different Environments (CASCADE), i.e. to identify, analyse and interrogate how meaning is expressed in language in diverse contexts, with a shared focus on the impact of time (diachronic text analytics). Researchers in the network will encounter different theories of, and approaches to meaning (structuralist, relational, distributional, cognitive, encyclopaedic, social) and learn how these affect the criteria for judging success in text analysis. MSCA Doctoral Networks are research and training programmes with the goal of training highly skilled doctoral candidates, stimulating their creativity, enhancing their innovation capacities and boosting their employability in the long term. For CASCADE this means responding to a skills deficit in the academic, public and commercial sectors: the need for people able to retrieve, critically evaluate and make better use of the large volumes of textual data that characterise our contemporary information society (the 'data deluge'). CASCADE is advertising positions for 10 candidates within its framework, who will be based at 5 participating universities. Applications for each position must be submitted separately. It is possible to apply for more than one position, in which case the applicant must send a separate email to Prof. James O'Sullivan (University College Cork, mail: james.osullivan@ucc.ie), stating this and indicating their preference.

ABOUT KU LEUVEN AND THE RESEARCH GROUP QLVL KU Leuven offers a competitive and international working environment with access to the latest technologies and expertise. KU Leuven is the highest internationally ranked university in Belgium and ranks amongst the best European universities for research and education. Leuven is also an exceptionally attractive university town located only 30 minutes from Brussels with an international and diverse student community. The research group QLVL focuses on empirical, corpus-linguistic and experimental studies of language variation and change. Our work is situated in the conceptual framework of usage-based grammar and cognitive linguistics, and our perspective specifically involves the interplay of cognitive, lectal, and semantic factors in multivariate models of language behaviour and language evolution. Our research is mainly corpus-based, with a focus on advanced quantitative methods. The research to be conducted in the two open PhD positions builds upon a research line which recently lead to the publication: Lexical Variation and Change: A Distributional Semantic Perspective (Geeraerts, Speelman, Heylen, Montes, De Pascale, Franco & Lang 2024, Oxford University Press).

Unit website

Project

•  PHD PROJECT: UNDERLYING DIMENSIONS IN CONCEPTUAL CHANGE

Distributional semantic methods offer a powerful tool for analysing changes in the textual representation of lexically identifiable topics: an automated analysis of the changing contexts in which words like 'migrant' or 'democracy' appear reveals shifts in the conceptual associations of these concepts. Such a distributional method can be greatly enhanced by doubling it up upon itself, i.e. by distributionally identifying the similarity among context words associated with the target items, and subsequently analysing the latter in terms of the emergent underlying dimensions. The goal of this project is to: 1) apply and refine state-of-the-art vector space modelling and other distributional semantic methods to diachronic datasets, with a focus on higher-order collocates; 2) document examples of semantic change and their distributional dimensions; 3) form a general hypothesis about the distributional dimensions of conceptual change; 4) recommend a best practice workflow for similar applications. The linguistic focus of the project will be decided depending on the candidate's background.

•  PHD PROJECT: THE PROTOTYPE STRUCTURE OF CONCEPT DRIFT

Linguistic diachronic semantics as developed in Cognitive Linguistics has highlighted the relevance of prototype effects in changes of lexical meaning. The views recently put forward by historians on the structure and evolution of historical concepts (viz. Kuukkanen's seminal work) resemble linguistic prototype theory, but the similarity has not been made explicit, nor has it been systematically explored. The goal of this project is to: 1) document the theoretical relationship (similarities and differences) between historians' accounts of the structure of political and social concepts and linguistic prototype theory; 2) apply and evaluate tools developed for linguistic diachronic semantics in the service of humanities questions about conceptual change; 3) recommend best practice and/or adaptations for using methods based on linguistic prototype theory for humanities research questions. The linguistic focus of the project will be decided depending on the candidate's background.

Profile

We seek a candidate with a Master's degree in Linguistics or equivalent, combined with a strong interest in quantitative and computational methods. 

A successful candidate will ideally:

• Have a strong interest in linguistics and semantics
• Be well-versed in quantitative corpus-linguistic methods and have a basic understanding of distributional semantics
• Have at least intermediate programming and/or data-analysis skills
• Be creative with a strong interest in fundamental and applied scientific research
• Be able to work well as a team player
• Have good academic performance at the MSc and BSc levels
• Demonstrate an ability to write and communicate in English
• Be eager to learn new techniques
• Be able to integrate in an international and diverse working environment

Additionally, the following eligibility rules apply:

• All applicants recruited in a MSCA Doctoral Network must be doctoral candidates (which implies that they are not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment)
• MSCA Mobility Rule: Applicants of any nationality are accepted but must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Belgium for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their date of recruitment.

Offer

We offer you a full-time 3-year PhD position, pending a positive evaluation by the doctoral committee at the end of the first year. The gross amount of the doctoral scholarship (tax-free) will be approximately €2,947.24 per month if you are single with no dependent family members. It will be higher if you have a registered partner without income and/or dependent child(ren); it will be lower if you have a registered partner with income. The PhD projects will be supervised by Prof. Dirk Speelman and Prof. Dirk Geeraerts. You will be given support to participate in European and international conferences and publish your science in respected scientific journals. You will be offered the opportunity to participate in training camps and research conventions organized by the CASCADE network. In addition, you will be provided with career guidance and encouraged to develop skills for science-adjacent careers including through courses via the KU Leuven International Doctoral School for the Humanities and Social Sciences. The research group also supports the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and embraces Open Science.

CASCADE website

Interested

Applicants are requested to enclose the following documents in English with their applications as a single PDF file:

• A curriculum vitae, including possible publications
• A report (max. 3 pages) describing the applicant's research activities (activities in the scientific community, interdisciplinary work and international research activity)
• A written vision (max. 1 page) for the applicant's position in the CASCADE project based on what is described in this document

For more information, please contact Prof. dr. Dirk Speelman (mail: dirk.speelman@kuleuven.be).  

U Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.

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