Linguistic Diversity: Historical, Functional and Typological Approaches (LDHFTA)

PUBLIC DESCRIPTION
This RC identifies itself by the general label “Linguistic Diversity” (LD) since the research carried out by its members is concerned with the inherent variety of human language. The principal methods used by RC are expressed by the subtitle “Historical, Functional and Typological Approaches” (HFTA), implying that languages are examined in a complex framework that includes their functional (synchronic), typological (cross-linguistic) and historical (diachronic) properties. The research also comprises extra-linguistic aspects such as the relationship of languages with regions (geography and history), cultures (archaeology and cultural anthropology) and populations (human genetics and physical anthropology). Relevant issues include synchronic ethnolinguistics, genealogical taxonomy, cross-linguistic comparisons, diachronic reconstruction, language contacts, areal typology, substrate studies, and linguistic endangerment. While these issues almost fell into oblivion in mainstream linguistics in many other academic environments, they have a long history at the University of Helsinki and have always been a cornerstone of linguistic work here. Currently, there is an upsurge in descriptive-diachronic-comparative linguistics also elsewhere, but with our thriving tradition we are internationally well positioned to retain our status as one of the leading centres of competence and innovation in the field. The RC comprises members from the Department of Modern Languages, the Department of Finnish and Nordic Studies, and the Department of World Cultures. Doctoral training supervised by the principal researchers in the RC is being carried out, often jointly, in the subjects of General Linguistics, Finno-Ugrian Studies, Slavonic Studies, Indo-European Studies, Altaic Studies, and African Studies. Also, some candidates are enrolled in the governmentally supported Finnish Graduate School of Language Studies (‘Langnet’). Altogether, the RC currently (end of 2010) comprises 6 chair-holding and 6 other professorial members, 13 other researchers with a principal researcher status, 8 postdoctoral fellows, and 14 doctoral students.

Responsible person: Juha Janhunen, Department of World Cultures

Participation category: 1