[Corpora-List] four PhD positions in Metaphor in discourse

From: G.J. Steen (gj.steen@let.vu.nl)
Date: Tue May 10 2005 - 18:05:22 MET DST

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    4 PHD POSITIONS IN METAPHOR AND DISCOURSE ANALYSIS F/M
    FOR 32 HOURS A WEEK (NOT NEGOTIABLE)

    Vacancynumber 1.2005.00089

    The Faculty of Arts at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is
    inviting applications for four PhD positions, beginning 1
    September 2005, in the vici-programme "Metaphor in
    discourse: linguistic forms, conceptual structures,
    cognitive representations.”

    The five-year research programme, awarded to Gerard Steen
    by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research
    (NWO), addresses the role of metaphor in discourse by
    examining its distribution, structure, function, and
    effect in four varieties of English. The hypothesis is
    that distinct linguistic forms and conceptual structures
    of metaphor display distributions and functions of their
    own, and that these interact with the domains of discourse
    in which language users employ them. The programme aims at
    describing and explaining these interactions on the basis
    of detailed corpus research on four samples from the
    British National Corpus, and at testing the cognitive
    effects of some of these interactions in their mental
    representation by language users. Metaphor in discourse
    will be modelled by means of a discourse-analytical
    elaboration of the cognitive-linguistic approach to
    metaphor as a cross-domain mapping. Research involves
    corpus analysis of samples from the British National
    Corpus and psycholinguistic experiments on various aspects
    of metaphor processing.

    The four PhD projects constitute the core of the
    programme. Each of the projects will concentrate on the
    use of metaphor in one specific language variety:
    conversation, news texts, academic texts, and fiction. All
    projects will be organized by the
    same—five-year—timetable, and the research will be
    characterized by a great deal of synchronized team work.
    During the first year, all researchers will identify
    metaphors in samples from all four language varieties,
    after which each researcher will concentrate on one
    language variety for the rest of the programme.

    Each of the four PhD projects will involve a research
    training and aims at a dissertation within five years. As
    part of their training, PhD students will take courses
    offered by the National Graduate School in Linguistics
    (LOT). They will present their work at annual expert
    meetings and participate in international conferences.
    Candidates will also be requested to make a small
    contribution to the teaching programme of the Department
    of English Language and Culture at the Vrije Universiteit.

    Candidates should have native-speaker or near-native
    speaker command of (British) English. They should have an
    excellent MA thesis in English language and linguistics,
    or be able to show that such a thesis will be completed by
    August 31. Expertise in metaphor, discourse analysis,
    cognitive linguistics, and/or corpus linguistics will be
    regarded as an advantage.

    Employer
    Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Arts
    The vici-programme is part of one of the four research
    programmes of the Institute of Language, Culture, and
    History of the Faculty of Arts of the Vrije Universiteit,
    “The architecture of the human language faculty”. This
    research programme investigates the modular structure of
    human language and cognition, with participation from
    formal, functional, and cognitive grammarians, and
    psycholinguists as well as discourse analysts.
    The vici-programme is also connected to the recently
    founded Ster research programme of the Vrije Universiteit
    on “Discourse, cognition, and communication,” for which
    two further PhD research positions are advertised
    independently. This is an interdisciplinary research
    programme between the faculties of Arts, Psychology, and
    Social Science, with the Faculty of Arts concentrating on
    “The conversationalization of public discourse” in the
    usage of Dutch.

    Conditions of employment
    For all projects we offer a part-time (80%) five-year PhD
    position with gross monthly salary starting at € 1,867,-
    in the first year to € 2,394,- in the fifth year of
    appointment (salary based on a full-time-contract).
    Appointment will initially be for one year, to be extended
    with a maximum of four more years upon positive
    evaluation.
    We also offer a pension scheme, a health insurance
    allowance and flexible employment conditions. Conditions
    are based on the Collective Employment Agreement of the
    Dutch Universities and are supplemented with a holiday
    allowance of 8% per year.
    Additional Information
    A full description of the complete programme and
    additional information about the vacancy can be obtained
    from dr. G.J. Steen, phone 31-20-598 6445, e-mail address:
    Gj.Steen@let.vu.nl.

    Application
    Your letter of application will have to be in by Monday 30
    May. Please send your application to Vrije Universiteit,
    Faculteit der Letteren, t.a.v. dr. G.J. Steen, De
    Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam or by e-mail to
    Gj.Steen@let.vu.nl.
    Applications (by regular mail or by e-mail) should include
    a curriculum vitae and the names and addresses of two
    referees. An MA thesis and a list of courses plus results
    should also be included.
    E-mail applications should be sent in pdf format and
    should specify your name and vacancy number in the message
    as well as in the topic, include a list of attachments in
    the message, and specify your name in every attachment.
    Interviews are planned between 15 and 20 June 2005.
    When applying for this job always mention the vacancy
    number: 1.200500089.



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