JAMES HAWKEY

Research Profile

My research is centred on issues in contemporary Catalan sociolinguistics. My interests within this field range from the investigation of the specific factors which impact upon contact-induced language change to developments in language policy, as well as the study of code-switching in a Catalan context. My broader sociolinguistic interests focus on language variation and change, particularly in multilingual urban environments. I am also more widely interested in Hispanic and Romance cultural and historical studies, specifically Hispanic and French cinema, as well as Spanish political history. Moreover, I have extensive experience teaching all skill areas of Spanish language.

Positions Held

Maître de langue / Lecturer in Applied Phonetics and Phonology

Institut du Monde Anglophone, Université Paris III - Sorbonne Nouvelle.

Commencing September 2011.

Teaching Assistant

Department of Linguistics, Queen Mary, University of London.
January 2011 - June 2011.

Cover Lecturer / Spanish Language Instructor

Department of Iberian and Latin American Studies, Queen Mary, University of London.

September 2009 - March 2011.

Education

PhD (undertaking at Queen Mary, University of London). 'Top-down change' and ‘bottom-up change’: their impact on contemporary speech practices in Barcelona.
Supervisor: Prof. Christopher J Pountain
Second Supervisor: Dr. Jordi Larios
Fully funded by the Centre for Catalan Studies, Queen Mary, University of London: Catalan Research Studentship in association with Institut Ramon Llull.

MA Linguistics: Distinction (University College, London).

BA French and Spanish: First Class Honours (University of Bristol).

Publications

Article: Towards an understanding of the contemporary sociolinguistic situation in the Pyrénées-Orientales. What questions need to be asked? In Cahiers d'AFLS, volume 15 (1), pp 36-52.

Review: The Architect of Modern Catalan. Selected Writings / Pompeu Fabra (1868-1948). In Journal of Language Policy, volume 9 pp 277-9.

Teaching and Supervision

Queen Mary, University of London

Spring Term 2011

Cover Lecturer

Courses: HSP233 Spanish II, HSP271 Spanish II Intensive, HSP179 Introductory Spanish.

Spring Term 2011

Teaching Assistant

Course: LIN404 Introduction to Sociolinguistic Variation.

2009-2010 (24 weeks)
Spanish Language Instructor
Courses: HSP176 Spanish I, HSP179 Introductory Spanish.
Duties: Teaching of grammar, oral and aural skills. Creation of syllabus and course materials. Setting and marking of exams and coursework.

Spring Term 2010
Cover Lecturer
Course: LIN401 Introduction to Phonology.

University College London

Summer 2011
MA Dissertation Supervision
Course: PLING199 Dissertation in Linguistics.

Duties: Supervision of two MA student dissertations (maternity cover).

March 2011
Guest Lecturer and Seminar Tutor
Course: PLING150 Sociolinguistics.

Selected Invited Talks and Conference Presentations

May 2011. ‘Catalan-Castilian syntactic convergence in Barcelona. A change in progress or a change halted?’ At the 2011 Postgraduate Conference, Department of Linguistics, Queen Mary, University of London.

January 2011. 'Change from above and its impact on awareness of the norm in Castilian and Catalan: Experimental evidence from Barcelona.' At the 39th Romance Linguistics Seminar, Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge.

December 2010. 'De mica en mica s'omple la pica: Experimental findings from Barcelona.' At the ILAS Research Seminar, Queen Mary, University of London.

September 2010. 'How does La Bressola affect varieties of French in Catalunya Nord?' At the 2010 Association for French Language Studies Conference, Peterhouse College, University of Cambridge.

March 2010. 'The importance of change from below: Contact-induced language change in Barcelona.' At the SOCLAS Romance Linguistics Research Seminar, University of Liverpool.

March 2009. 'Code-switching in Catalonia.' At the Department of Spanish and Latin American Studies, University College London.

Selected Grants and Awards

Catalan Research Studentship (£55,000). Centre for Catalan Studies, Queen Mary, University of London.

Modern Languages Prize. University of Bristol.

Language Skills

English: native

Spanish: fluent

Catalan: fluent

French: fluent

Portuguese: advanced

Italian: intermediate

Other Relevant Academic Information

Organisation of Postgraduate Discussion Group (2010-11), Department of Linguistics, Queen Mary, University of London.

Organistaion of Hispanic Research Seminar Series (2008-09), Department of Hispanic Studies, Queen Mary, University of London.

Member of Organisational Committee (Postgraduate Matters), Association of French Language Studies.

QMUL Linguistics Lab Members’ Pages