Randy J. LaPolla
Division of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies
Nanyang Technological University
14 Nanyang Avenue
SINGAPORE 637332
Phone: (65) 6592-1825 (O), Fax: (65)
6795-6525
e-mail: randylapolla-at -ntu.edu.sg
Personal
|
General Interest
 |
CURRENT
POSITION
- Professor, Division of
Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore.
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Contents
RESEARCH
INTERESTS
- Sino-Tibetan linguistics
- Linguistic typology
- The nature of cognition and how it allows for communication
and the development of language
- Functional approaches to understanding language structure
and development
- Pragmatics
- Fieldwork on endangered languages / anthropological
linguistics (Asian languages on which I have
done fieldwork)
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SERVICE TO THE
LINGUISTICS COMMUNITY
- Fellow, Australian Academy for the Humanities.
- Deputy Editor, Journal of
Sino-Tibetan Linguistics （《汉藏语学报》）, Commercial Press,
Beijing.
- Member, Advisory Committee of the Institute of Linguistics,
Academia Sinica.
- Honorary Member, Linguistic Society of the Philippines.
- Vice President, International Association for Bilingual
Studies.
- Consulting Editor of Studies
in
Language.
- Member, Editorial Board, Australian Journal of
Linguistics.
- Member, Board of Editorial Consultants, Philippine Journal of
Linguistics (journal of the Linguistic Society of the
Philippines).
- Member, Editorial Board of Minzu Yuwen（《民族语文》）(Nationality Languages) (Institute of
Ethnology and Anthropology, Chinese Academy of Social
Sciences).
- Member, International Advisory Board of Diachronica: International
Journal for Historical Linguistics.
- Member, Editorial Board, Macrolinguistics
(New York: The Learned Press).
- Member, International Editorial Board of Transactions of the Philological
Society.
- Member, Editorial Board of Nankai Yuyanxue Kan (Linguistics Journal of Nankai
University)
- Member, Review Panel of the Endangered Languages
Documentation Programme (ELDP) funded by Arcadia (previously
known as the Lisbet Rausing Charitable Fund), 2010-2012.
- Editor, Linguistics of
the Tibeto-Burman Area, 2005-2012.
- President, Australian Linguistic Society, 2007-2009.
- Cheung Kong Scholar (Adjunct Chair Professor), Central
University of Nationalities, Beijing, China, 2005-2008.
- Member, Editorial Board of Language and Linguistics (Institute of
Linguistics, Academica Sinica), 2004-2009.
- Vice President, Australian Linguistics Society, 2005-2007.
- Member, Academic Committee, Summer Institute for Linguistics
Australia, 2007-2009.
- Organizer and Host of the 10th RCLT International Workshop,
“The Shaping of Language: The Relationship between the
Structures of Languages and their Social, Cultural,
Historical, and Natural Environments”, La Trobe University,
14-16, July 2010.
- Co-organizer, International Symposium: Sino-Tibetan
Comparative Studies in the 21st Century, Institute of
Linguistics, Academic Sinica, 24-25 June, 2010.
- Organizer and Host, ALS2009, the 40th annual meeting of the
Australian Linguistic Society, Melbourne, July 9-11, 2009.
- Organizer and Host, Third Cross-Straits Workshop on
Tibeto-Burman Languages and Linguistics, City University of
Hong Kong, April 17-18, 2004.
- Aside from those journals I am on the editorial boards of, I
have reviewed submissions to Language, Linguistic
Typology, Cahiers de linguistique asie orientale,
Linguistics and Philosophy, Lingua, Journal of the International
Phonetic Association, The Linguistic Review, Bulletin of
Chinese Linguistics, and other publications and
presses. I also have reviewed project proposals submitted to
the Eurpoean Research Council, the Netherlands Organisation
for Scientific Research, the Swiss National Science
Foundation, the Endangered Languages Documentation Programme
(SOAS), the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, The National
Science Council (Taiwan), the National Science Foundation
(USA), the Austrian Science Foundation (FWF), the Social
Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC),
and the Australian Research Council.
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of Contents
PUBLICATIONS (organized by type) (For
publications organized by language and subject, click here)
Books
- Dao
Tianye qu—Yuyanxue Tianye Diaocha de Fangfa yu Shijian
(To the Field—The Method and Experience of Linguistic ),
edited by Dai Qingxia, Luo Rendi (Randy J. LaPolla), and Wang
Feng. Beijing: Minzu
Chubanshe, 2009.
- Language
Variation: Papers on variation and change in the
Sinosphere and in the Indosphere in honour of James A.
Matisoff,
edited by David Bradley, Randy LaPolla, Boyd Michailovsky
& Graham Thurgood. Pacific
Linguistics. Canberra: Australian National University,
Dec. 2003 (PL 548,
ISBN (Paperback) ISBN 0 85883 541).
- A
Grammar of Qiang, with Annotated Texts and Glossary
(Mouton Grammar Library 31), by Randy J. LaPolla,
with Chenglong Huang. Berlin: Mouton de
Gruyter, 445 + xvii pp., Dec. 2003 (ISBN
3-11-017829-X). (prepublication
draft) (review)
- The
Sino-Tibetan Languages (Routledge Language Family
Series 3),edited by Graham Thurgood & Randy J.
LaPolla. London & New York: Routledge, 727 + xxii pp.,
Jan. 2003 (ISBN 0-7007-1129-5). Paperback version released
April 2007 (ISBN 978-0-415-77295-2).
- Rawang Texts, with
Grammatical Analysis and English Translation,
by Randy J. LaPolla & Dory Poa. Berlin: LINCOM
EUROPA, December 2001 (ISBN 3 89586 783 7).
- The
Tibeto-Burman
Languages of Uttar Pradesh, edited by Randy J. LaPolla,
Volume II of A
Linguistic Approach to Zhangzhung and Related
Languages in the Indian Himalayas (Senri
Ethnological Reports 19). Osaka: National Museum of
Ethnology, March, 2001 (ISSN 1340-6787).
- Syntax:
Structure, Meaning, and Function (Cambridge
Textbooks in Linguistics Series), by Robert D. Van
Valin, Jr. & Randy J. LaPolla. Cambridge University
Press, 1997. (ISBN 0-521-49565-2 (cloth);
0-521-49915-1 (paper)). (Nominated for the Linguistic
Society of America Bloomfield Book Award; Reviewed
by John Newman in Linguistic
Typology 2.3 (1998), by S. Robinson in Language
75.3:621 (1999), by Laura and Radu Daniliuc on the LINGUIST
List
11.485, Tue Mar. 7, 2000, and by Cynthia Allen in Australian
Journal of Linguistics 22.2:272-277).
- Grammatical
Relations in Chinese: Synchronic and Diachronic
Considerations. PhD dissertation, University
of California, Berkeley, 1990. (abstract, pdf)
- Bibliography
of the Papers from the International Conferences on
Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics, I-XXI, by
Randy J. LaPolla & John B. Lowe. STEDT Monograph
Series, No. 1, 1989. (Second edition, including
conferences XXII-XXV, published October 1994.
Reviewed by Robert S. Bauer in Mon-Khmer Studies
24(1995):115-16.)
- Linguistics
East and West: Sino-Tibetan, Tai, and American Indian,
recorded and edited by Ning-ping Chan & Randy J.
LaPolla. Transcript of our interviews with Prof. Fang-Kuei
Li to record his oral history. Published by the Regional
Oral History Office, a department of the Bancroft Library,
University
of California, Berkeley, 1989. (available on line;
click on title)
Papers (click on link to
download paper)
- “Subgrouping in Tibeto-Burman: Can an individual-identifying
standard be developed? How do we factor in the history of
migrations and language contact?” In What’s Where Why? Language Typology and Historical
Contingency, edited by Balthasar Bickel, Lenore A.
Grenoble, David A. Peterson, & Alan Timberlake. Amsterdam
and Philadelphia: John Benjamins Pub Co., in press. (prepublication
draft)
- “The how and why of syntactic relations”. In Christian
Lehmann, Stavros Skopeteas, Christian Marschke (ed), Evolution of syntactic relations
(Trends in Linguistics Series). Berlin: Mouton De
Gruyter, to appear. (conference
draft)
- “Constituent structure in a Tagalog text”. Proceedings of the 10th
Philippine Linguistics Congress, University of the
Philippines – Diliman, Quezon City, December 10-12, 2008, to
appear. (conference
draft)
- “Eastern Asia: Sino-Tibetan linguistic history”. In Emmanuel
Ness (ed.), The Encyclopedia of Global Human Migration,
Prehistory Volume, Chapter 25. Chicester: John Wiley &
Sons, Ltd., in press.
- “Comments
on methodology and evidence in Sino-Tibetan comparative
linguistics”. Language
and Linguistics (Special issue on Sino-Tibetan
Comparative Studies) 13(2012).1:117-132.
- “On
transitivity”. (Randy J. LaPolla, František
Kratochvíl & Alexander R. Coupe). Studies in
Language 35(2011).3:469-492.
- “On
transitivity in two Tibeto-Burman languages”. Studies
in Language 35(2011).3:637-650.
- “’Transitivity
harmony’ in the Rawang language of northern Myanmar”. From the southern hemisphere:
Parameters of language variation—E-Proceedings of the 2008
Conference of the Australian Linguistics Society(University
of Sydney, 2-4 July, 2008), ed. by L. de Beuzeville & P.
Peters, 1-9. Published 2010 on line; full collection at http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/handle/2123/6860.
- “Hierarchical
person marking in the Rawang language”. In Forty Years of Sino-Tibetan
Language Studies: Proceedings of ICSTLL-40, ed. by
Dai Zhaoming, 107-113. Heilongjiang University Press, Dec.
2010.
- “Feilübin
Tagaluo yu (Tagalog) de cilei fanchou (The lexical
categories of the Tagalog language of the Philippines)”.
Yuyanxue Luncong 41.
Beijing: Peking University, 2010.
- "Causes
and Effects of Substratum, Superstratum and Adstratum
Influence, with Reference to Tibeto-Burman languages".
In Issues in Tibeto-Burman
Historical Linguistics (Senri Ethnological Studies 75),
ed. by Yasuhiko Nagano, 227–237. Osaka: National Museum of
Ethnology, September, 2009.
- “Chinese
as a Topic-Comment (Not Topic-Prominent and Not SVO)
Language”. In Studies
of Chinese Linguistics: Functional Approaches, ed. by
Janet Xing, 9-22. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2009.
- "Language Contact and Language Change in the History of the
Sino-Tibetan Languages". The Harmony of civilizations and prosperity for
all: diversity in the development of human civilizations
(Selected papers from the Beijing Forum, Peking University and
Great Hall of the People, Beijing, 2-4 November, 2007), ed. by
the Academic Steering Committee of the Beijing Forum, Peking
University, 144-162. Beijing: Peking University Press, October
2008.
- “Relative
Clause Structures in the Rawang Language”. Language and Linguistics
9.4:797-812 (special issue on relative clause structures
edited by Henry Y. Chang), 2008.
- “Nominalization
in Rawang”. Linguistics
of the Tibeto-Burman Area 31.2:45-66 (special
issue on nominalization in Tibeto-Burman edited by Alec
Coupe), 2008.
- “The
Copula and Existential Verbs in Qiang” (Randy J. LaPolla
& Chenglong Huang). Bulletin
of Chinese Linguistics 1.2:233-248, Dec. 2007.
- “Yuyan leixingxue / gongneng
yuyanxuepai shiyexia de yuyanxue tianye diaocha (A
linguistic typology / functional linguistics view of
linguistic fieldwork)” Yuyanxue Luncong 36:42-56, 2007.
- “Cong yuyan, fangyan
de bijiao liaojie yuyan de lishi fazhan (Understanding the
historical development of a language by comparing it with
related languages and dialects)” (with Yang Jiangling).
Journal of Sino-Tibetan
Linguistics 1.1:120-126, 2007. (Also published in Dongfang Yuyanxue 2
(2007): 11-18.)
- "Minority Languages
of China"(Dory Poa & Randy J. LaPolla). The Vanishing Languages of the
Pacific, ed. by Osahito Miyaoka and Michael E.
Krauss, 337-354. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.
- “On Describing Word Order”
(Randy J. LaPolla & Dory Poa). Catching Language: The Standing Challenge of
Grammar Writing, ed. by Felix Ameka, Alan Dench,
& Nicholas Evans, 269-295. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter,
2006.
- “On Grammatical Relations as
Constraints on Referent Identification”. Voice and Grammatical Relations:
Festschrift for Masayoshi Shibatani (Typological Studies in
Language), ed. by Tasaku Tsunoda and Taro Kageyama,
139-151. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins Pub.
Co., 2006.
- “Lishi yuyanxue he yuyan
leixingxue (Historical linguistics and typology) ” . Journal of Peking University
(Philosophy and Social Sciences) 43.2 (March
2006):27-30.
- “Copula Constructions in
Rawang.” Linguistic
Studies in Chinese and Neighboring Languages: Festschrift in
Honor of Professor Pang-hsin Ting on His 70th Birthday, ed.
by Dah-an Ho, H. Samuel Cheung, Wuyun Pan, and Fuxiang Wu,
1059-1076. Taipei: Institute of Linguistics, Academia Sinica,
2006.
- “Di’er yuyan xide dui
diyi yuyan de yingxiang (The influence of second language
learning on one’s first language)”. Papers from the 4th
International Conference on Bilingual Studies, ed. by
Dai Qingxia and Jia Yimin, 50-57. Guangzhou: Jinan University
Press, December, 2005.
- “Sino-Tibetan
Languages ” . Encyclopedia
of Language and Linguistics, 2nd Edition, ed. by
Keith Brown, 393-397. London: Elsevier, 2005.
- “Li Fang-Kuei
(1902-1987) ” . Encyclopedia
of Language and Linguistics, 2nd Edition, ed. by
Keith Brown, 153-154. London: Elsevier, 2005.
- “Wang Li (1900-1986)” .
Encyclopedia of Language and
Linguistics, 2nd Edition, ed. by Keith Brown,
514-515. London: Elsevier, 2005.
- “Chao, Yuen Ren
(1892-1982) ” . Encyclopedia
of Language and Linguistics, 2nd Edition, ed. by
Keith Brown, 295-296. London: Elsevier, 2005.
- “The
Inclusive-Exclusive Distinction in Tibeto-Burman Languages”.
Clusivity: Typology and Case
Studies on Inclusive/exclusive Oppositions, ed. by
Elena Filimonova, 289-310. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John
Benjamins Pub. Co., 2005.
- "Typology and
Complexity." Language
Acquisition, Change and Emergence: Essays in evolutionary
linguistics, ed. by James W. Minett and William S-Y.
Wang. Hong Kong: City University of Hong Kong Press, 2005.
- "Jiaodian jiegou
de leixing ji qi dui Hanyu cixu de yingxiang (The typology
of focus structures and their effect on word order in
Chinese)." A Study on the Structure and Semantics
of Focus, edited by Xu Liejiong and Haihua Pan, 57-78.
Beijing: Beijing Foreign Studies University Press, 2005.
- "Reflexive and
Middle Marking in Dulong/Rawang." Himalayan Linguistics
2 (on-line journal), December, 2004, (251kb)
http://www.linguistics.ucsb.edu/HimalayanLinguistics/articles/2004/HLJ02_LaPolla.pdf.
- "Adjectives in Qiang"
(with Chenglong HUANG). Adjective classes: a
cross-linguistic typology (Explorations in Linguistic
Typology 1), ed. by R. M. W. Dixon and Alexandra Y.
Aikhenvald. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
- “On
Nominal Relational Morphology in Tibeto-Burman.” Studies on Sino-Tibetan
Languages: Papers in Honor of Professor Hwang-cherng Gong
on his Seventieth Birthday, ed. by Ying-jin Lin,
Fang-min Hsu, Chun-chih Lee, Jackson T.-S. Sun, Hsiu-fang
Yang, and Dah-an Ho, 43-74. Taipei: Institute of
Linguistics, Academia Sinica, December 2004.
- "Why
languages differ: Variation in the conventionalization of
constraints on inference". Language Variation:
Papers on variation and change in the Sinosphere and in the
Indosphere in honour of James A. Matisoff, ed by David
Bradley, Randy LaPolla, Boyd Michailovsky & Graham
Thurgood, 113-144. Pacific Linguistics. Canberra: Australian
National University, 2003.
- "Texts in
the Qugu Variety of Northern Qiang" (with Dory Poa).
Descriptive and Theoretical Studies in Minority Languages of
East and Southeast Asia, ed. by Kitano Hiroaki, 77-94.
Endangered Languages of the Pacific Rim Project series.
Suita: Faculty of Informatics, Osaka Gakuin University, 2003.
- "Evidentiality
in Qiang." Studies in Evidentiality (Typological
Studies in Language), ed. by A. Y Aikhenvald &
R.M.W. Dixon, 63-78. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John
Benjamins Publishing Co., 2003.
- "English-Qiang Glossary by Semantic
Field." Basic Materials on Minority Languages in East and
Southeast Asia (Endangered Languages of the Pacific Rim
series, A03-004), ed. by Ikeda Takumi, 153-181. Suita: Faculty
of Informatics, Osaka Gakuin University, March 2003.
- "An overview of Sino-Tibetan
morphosyntax." The Sino-Tibetan Languages, ed.
by Graham Thurgood & Randy J. LaPolla 22-42. London
& New York: Routledge, Jan. 2003.
- "Qiang."
The Sino-Tibetan Languages, ed. by Graham Thurgood
& Randy J. LaPolla, 573-587. London & New York:
Routledge, Jan. 2003.
- "Dulong."
The Sino-Tibetan Languages, ed. by Graham Thurgood
& Randy J. LaPolla, 674-682. London & New York:
Routledge, Jan. 2003.
- "Chuanda Xinxi de Xingzhi, Yuyan de
Benzhi he Yuyan de Fazhan (The Nature of Communication and
Language and the Development of Language)" (with Dory Poa).
Hanyu Yufa Yanjiu de Xin Tuozhan -- 21 Shiji Shoujie
Xiandai Hanuyu Yufa Guoji Yantaohui Lunwenji, ed. by
Xu Liejiong and Shao Jinmin (editors in chief), with K.K.
Luke & Shan Zhourao, 432-442. Hangzhou: Zhejiang Jiaoyu
Chubanshe, Dec. 2002.
- "Xinxi
Chuanda
de
Xingzhi
yu
Yuyan
de
Benzhi
he
Yuyan de Fazhan (The Nature of Communication and Language,
and their Influence on Language Development)" (with
Dory Poa). Zhongguo Yuwen 2002.3 (May):203-209.
- "Problems
of Methodology and Explanation in Word Order Universals
Research", Dongfang Yuyan yu Wenhua (Languages and
Cultures of the East), ed. by Pan Wuyun, 204-237.
Shanghai: Dongfang Chuban Zhongxin, Feb. 2002.
- "The
Role of Migration and Language Contact in the Development
of the Sino-Tibetan Language Family", Areal
Diffusion and Genetic Inheritance: Case Studies in
Language Change, ed. by R. M. W. Dixon & A. Y.
Aikhenvald, 225-254. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
November 2001.
- "Dulong
Texts: Seven Fully Analyzed Narrative and Procedural Texts."
Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 24(Fall
2001).2:1-39.
- Review
of
A Grammar of Meithei (Mouton Grammar Library 17), by
Shobhana L. Chelliah, Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. Lingua
110(2000).4:299-304.
- "Valency-changing
Derivations in Dulong/Rawang." Changing Valency:
Case Studies in Transitivity, ed. by R. M. W. Dixon
& Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald, 282-311. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2000.
- Book review of Language Atlas of
China, (Pacific Linguistics, Series C, No. 102), ed.
by S. A. Wurm et al. Hong Kong: Longman Group (Far East)
Ltd., 1987. International Review of Chinese Linguistics
1(1997).1:92-100.
- "Dulong/Riwangyu Dongci de Fanshen
he Zhongjiantai Biaozhi." (Chinese version of "Reflexive and
Middle Marking in Dulong/Rawang") Collected Essays of
Chinese Minority Languages, ed. by Dai Qingxia, Zeng
Siqi, Cheng Yanyan, Ding Shiqing, and Fu Ailan, 13-34.
Beijing: Central University of Nationalities Press, 1996.
- "Middle
Marking in Tibeto-Burman." Proceedings of the
Fourth International Symposium on Languages and
Linguistics: Pan-Asiatic Linguistics (January 8-10,
1996), Volume 5: 1940-1954.
- Book review of Advances in Role
and Reference Grammar, ed. by Robert D. Van Valin,
Jr., John Benjamins Publishing Co., 1993. Sprachtypologie
& Universalienforschung 49(1996).2:177-221.
- "On the
Utility of the Concepts of Markedness and Prototypes in
Understanding the Development of Morphological Systems."
Bulletin of the Institute of History and Philology
66(1995).4:1149-1185.
- "Ergative Marking in
Tibeto-Burman." New Horizons in Tibeto-Burman
Morpho-syntax (Senri Ethnological Studies 41), ed. by
Yoshio Nishi, James A. Matisoff, & Yasuhiko Nagano,
189-228. Osaka: National Museum of Ethnology, 1995.
- Book
review
of
Understanding Utterances: An Introduction to Pragmatics,
by Diane Blakemore, Oxford, UK & Cambridge, USA:
Blackwell, 1992. Language 71(1995).1.
- "Pragmatic Relations and Word Order
in Chinese." Word Order in Discourse, ed. by
Pamela Downing & Michael Noonan, 297-329. Amsterdam
& Philadelphia: Benjamins Pub. Co., 1995. (downloadable
Chinese translation of this paper by Zhang Weidong)
- "An
Experimental Investigation into Sound Symbolism as it
Relates to Mandarin Chinese." Studies in Sound
Symbolism, ed. by Leanne Hinton, Johanna Nichols, and
John Ohala, 130-147. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
1995.
- "Parallel
Grammaticalizations in Tibeto-Burman: Evidence of Sapir's
'Drift'." Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area
17.1(1994).
- "Book
notice
(review)
of
The Classical Tibetan Language, by Stephan V. Beyer,
SUNY Press, 1992". Language 70(1994).1:195-6.
- "Variable
Finals in Proto-Sino-Tibetan." Bulletin of the
Institute of History and Philology 65.1(1994):131-173.
- "Arguments Against 'Subject' and
'Direct Object' as Viable Concepts in Chinese." Bulletin
of the Institute of History and Philology
63.4(1993):759-813.
- "On
the Change to Verb-Medial Word Order in Proto-Chinese:
Evidence from Tibeto-Burman." Current Issues in
Sino-Tibetan Linguistics, ed. by H. Kitamura, T.
Nishida, and Y. Nagano, 98-104. Osaka: National Museum of
Ethnology, 1993.
- "ZangMian Yuzu Dongci de Rencheng
Biaozhi: Qi Xingzhi ji Qiyuan Shidai" (Chinese version of
"On the Dating and Nature of Verb Agreement in Tibeto
Burman"). Minzu Yicong 1993.4:42-52.
- Book review of Contributions to
Linguistic Research from China, ed. by Alfred F.
Majewicz, Poznan, 1991. Languages of the World,
Issue No. 7:49-51 (1993.2).
- "Anti-ergative
Marking in Tibeto-Burman." Linguistics of the
Tibeto-Burman Area 15.1(1992):1-9.
- "On
the
Dating
and
Nature of Verb Agreement in Tibeto Burman." Bulletin
of the School of Oriental and African Studies
55.2(1992):298-315. (abstract)
- "The
Phonetic
Development
of
Tibetan: A Problem Set." Linguistics of the
Tibeto-Burman Area 11.2(1989):91-95.
- "A Computer Application of Matthew
Chen's 'From Middle Chinese to Modern Mandarin'." Journal
of Chinese Linguistics 16.2(1988):339-344.
- "Verb Agreement, Head-Marking vs.
Dependent-Marking, and the 'Deconstruction' of Tibeto-Burman
Morpho-Syntax." Proceedings of the 15th Annual Meeting
of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (Feb. 18-20,
1989), ed. by Kira Hall, Michael Meacham & Richard
Shapiro, 355-365. Berkeley Linguistics Society
- "Dulongyu he Yuanshi Zang-Mianyu
Bijiao Yanjiu" (Chinese translation, by Le Saiyue, of
"Dulong and Proto-Tibeto-Burman"). Minzu Yuwen Yanjiu
Qingbao Ziliaoji 11(1989):49-78 (Part I);
12(1989):19-42.
- "'Subject' and Referent Tracking:
Arguments for a Discourse-Based Grammar of Chinese." Proceedings
of the West Coast Conference on Linguistics (Fresno,
October 14-16, 1988), Volume I, ed. by Joseph Emonds, P.J.
Mistry, Vida Samiian & Linda Thornburg, 160-173. Dept.
of Linguistics, California State University, Fresno.
- "Topicalization
and the Question of Lexical Passives in Chinese." Proceedings
of the Third Annual Ohio State University Conference on
Chinese Linguistics (May 13-14, 1988), ed. by Marjorie
K.M. Chan & Thomas Ernst, 170-188. Indiana University
Linguistics Club.
- "Dulong and
Proto-Tibeto-Burman." Linguistics of the
Tibeto-Burman Area 10.1(1987): 1-42.
Return to Table of Contents
PUBLISHED TRANSLATIONS
- "On the Languages of the Jingpo Nationality." By Dai
Qingxia, Central Institute of Nationality Studies. Linguistics
of the Tibeto-Burman Area 22.2 (1999).
- "On Nationality and the
Recognition of Tibeto-Burman Languages." By Sun Hongkai,
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Linguistics of
the Tibeto-Burman Area 15.2 (1992):1-20.
- "On the Status of Tones in the
Suomo Dialect of rGyarong" By Dai Qingxia, Central
Institute of Nationality Studies. Linguistics of the
Tibeto-Burman Area15.2(1992):21-32.
- "On the Origin and Development
of Noun Classifiers in Jingpo," By Xu Xijian, Chinese
Academy of Social Sciences. Linguistics of the
Tibeto-Burman Area 12.2(1989):15-23.
- "A Preliminary Investigation
into the Relationship between Qionglong Culture and the
Languages of the Qiang Branch of Tibeto-Burman." By Sun
Hongkai, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Linguistics
of the Tibeto-Burman Area 12.1(1989):92-109.
- "My Work in Tibeto-Burman." By
Dai Qingxia, Central Institute of Nationality Studies. Linguistics
of the Tibeto-Burman Area 11.2(1989):1-4.
- "Characteristics of the Language
of Traditional Songs of the Jingpo Nationality." By Dai
Qingxia, Central Institute of Nationality Studies. Linguistics
of the Tibeto-Burman Area 10.1(1987):86-116.
- "On the Evolution of Tibetan
Final -s." By Tan Keran, Chinese Academy of Social
Sciences. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area
10.1(1987):152-165.
Return to Table of Contents
UNPUBLISHED
MANUSCRIPT
Return to Table
of Contents
CONFERENCE
PAPERS (not fully up to date; titles with links are
unpublished--see above for other titles)
- “Clausal
Noun-Modifying Constructions in Sino-Tibetan Languages”.
Paper presented at the Fourth International Conference on
Sinology, Academia Sinica, 20-22 June, 2012.
- “Arguments
for a construction-based approach to the analysis of Chinese”.
Keynote presentation to The Second International Symposium on
Chinese Language and Discourse, Nanyang Technological
University, 9-11 June, 2012.
- “Arguments for a construction-based approach to the analysis
of Sino-Tibetan languages”. Keynote presentation to the
Workshop on Typological Studies of Languages of China, held in
conjunction with ALT9, University of Hong Kong, 21 July, 2011.
- “The nature of cognition, communication and language, and
their influence on language development”. The 8th China
International Forum on Cognitive Linguistics, Beijing (several
universities), 4-11 November, 2010.
- “On the logical necessity of a cultural connection for all
aspects of linguistic structure”. 10th RCLT International
Workshop, “The Shaping of Language”, La Trobe University, 14,
July 2010. Downloadable podcast and handout available on
iTunes U: http://itunes.apple.com/au/itunes-u/the-shaping-of-language/id391930814
- “Questions on transitivity in three Tibeto-Burman
languages". Paper presented at the 42nd
International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and
Linguistics, Payap University, 2-4 November, 2009.
- "Constituent
structure of a Tagalog text". Plenary address to 10th
Philippine Linguistics Congress, University of the
Philippines, 10-12 December, 2008.
- "Transitivity
and Transitivity Alternations in Rawang and Qiang".
Invited paper presented to the International Workshop on the
Languages of Sichuan, Institute of Linguistics, Academia
Sinica, 21-24 November, 2008.
- "Causes and effects of substratum, superstratum and
adstratum influence, with reference to Tibeto-Burman
languages". Invited paper presented to the Symposium on
Linguistic Substrata in the Tibeto-Burman Area, National
Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, September 9-11, 2008.
- "Questions on
transitivity". Presentation to open the Workshop on
Transitivity, Research Centre for Linguistic Typology, La
Trobe University, 21 August, 2008.
- "'Transitivity
Harmony' in the Rawang Language of Northern Myanmar".
Paper presented to the Annual Meeting of the Australian
Linguistic Society, University of Sydney, 2-4 July, 2008.
- "Relative Clause Structures in the Rawang Language". Paper
presented to the International Workshop on Relative Clauses,
Institute of Linguistics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, 2-3
November. (Actually presented 12/11/07)
- "Language Contact and Language Change in the History of the
Sino-Tibetan Languages". Paper presented at The Beijing Forum,
Peking University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, and the
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Great Hall of the People,
Beijing, and Peking University, 2-4 November, 2007.
- "Hierarchical
person marking in Rawang". Paper presented to the 40th
International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and
Linguistics, Harbin, China, 26-29 Sept., 2007.
- "Word-class-changing
derivations in Rawang". Invited paper presented to the
Workshop on Word-class-changing Derivations, Research Centre
for Linguistic Typology, Institute for Advanced Study, La
Trobe University, 13 June, 2007.
- "Nominalization and copulas in Rawang". Invited keynote
address to International Workshop on Nominalizers and Copulas
in East Asian and Neighboring Languages, Chinese University of
Hong Kong, 9-12 January, 2007.
- "Cong yuyan, fangyan de bijiao kan yuyan de lishi yanbian
(Understanding the historical development of a language from
comparing it with related languages and dialects)". Invited
plenary address to the 2006 International Conference on
Comparative East Asian Linguistics, Shanghai Normal
University, December 25-27, 2006.
- "Nominalization in Rawang". Invited keynote address to the
39th International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and
Linguistics, University of Washington, Seattle, 15-17
September, 2006.
- "The
how and why of syntactic relations". Invited plenary
address and keynote of the Centre for Research on Language
Change Workshop on Grammatical Change at the Annual Conference
of the Australian Linguistics Society, University of
Queensland, 7-9 July, 2006.
- "Clause linking
in Dulong-Rawang". Invited paper presented to the
Workshop on the Semantics of Clause Linking, Research Centre
for Linguistic Typology, Institute for Advanced Study, La
Trobe University, 24 May, 2006.
- "When SVO isn’t: On clause structure in Mandarin Chinese".
Australian Linguistics Society Annual Conference, Melbourne,
28-30 September, 2005.
- "Direct
and indirect speech in Tagalog" (Randy J. LaPolla &
Dory Poa). Workshop on Direct and Indirect Speech, Research
Centre for Linguistic Typology, La Trobe University, June 8,
2005.
- "Di er yuyan xide dui di yi yuyan de yingxiang (The
influence of second language acquisition on one’s first
language)" Keynote speech presented at the 4th International
Conference on Bilingual Studies, Jinan University, January
8-9, 2005.
- "Comparative
constructions in Rawang." Invited paper presented at the
Workshop on Comparative Constructions, Research Centre for
Linguistic Typology, Institute for Advanced Study, LaTrobe
University, Nov. 3, 2004.
- "The inclusive-exclusive distinction in Tibeto-Burman
languages.” Paper presented at the 36th International
Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe
University, Melbourne, November 28, 2003.
- "Copula constructions in Rawang". Invited
paper presented at the Workshop on Copula Clauses and
Verbless Clauses, Research Centre for Linguistic Typology,
Institute for Advanced Study, LaTrobe University, October
30, 2002.
- "The
Copula and Existential verbs in Qiang" (with Chenglong
HUANG). Invited paper presented at the Workshop on Copula
Clauses and Verbless Clauses, Research Centre for Linguistic
Typology, Institute for Advanced Study, LaTrobe University,
Sept. 4, 2002.
- "Adjectives in Qiang" (with
Chenglong HUANG). Invited paper presented at the Workshop on
Adjective Classes, Research Centre for Linguistic Typology,
Institute for Advanced Study, LaTrobe University, August
12-17, 2002.
- "Typology and Complexity". Invited
paper presented at the 3rd Workshop on Language Acquisition,
Change, and Evolution (Theme: Language and Complexity),
Chinese Linguistics Institute, City University of Hong Kong,
May 2-4, 2002.
- "The Marking of Information Source
in Ronghong Qiang". Invited paper presented at the Workshop
on Tibeto-Burman Linguistics, Institute of Linguistics,
Academia Sinica, Taiwan, April 10-12, 2002.
- "Evidentiality in the Qiang
language". Invited paper presented at the Workshop on
Evidentiality, Research Centre for Linguistic Typology,
Institute for Advanced Study, LaTrobe University, August
6-11, 2001.
- "Ostension he inference yu yufahua
de guocheng (Ostension, Inference, and the process of
grammaticalization)". Invited plenary (keynote) paper
presented (in Chinese) at the First International Conference
on Modern Chinese Grammar for the New Millenium, City
University of Hong Kong, Feb. 1-3, 2001.
- "Subgrouping
in Tibeto-Burman: Can an individual-identifying standard
be developed? How do we factor in the history of
migrations and language contact?" Paper presented at
the 33rd International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages
and Linguistics, Bangkok and Trang, October 2-6, 2000.
- "Nominalization and complementation
in Northern Qiang." Invited paper presented at the Workshop
on Qiangic Languages and Linguistics, Institute of
Linguistics, Preparatory Office, Academia Sinica, Taipei,
November 6-7, 1999.
- "Factors involved in language
change: Evidence from Sino-Tibetan." Invited paper presented
at the Workshop on the Connection Between Areal Diffusion
and the Genetic Model of Language Relationship, Research
Centre for Linguistic Typology, Australian National
University, August 17-22, 1998.
- "Morphosyntactic means for variable
event profiling in Dulong-Rvwang." Paper presented at the
30th International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and
Linguistics, Beijing, August 24-28, 1997.
- "Argument determined constructions
in Dulong/Rvwang." Invited paper presented at the
Workshop on Valency-Changing Derivations, Research Centre
for Linguistic Typology, Australian National University,
August 18-23, 1997.
- "Middle Marking in Tibeto-Burman."
Paper presented at the Fourth International Symposium on
Languages and Linguistics: Pan-Asiatic Linguistics, Bangkok,
January 8-10, 1996.
- "Reflexive and Middle Marking in
Dulong/Rawang." Paper presented at the 28th International
Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics, Oct.
6-10, 1995, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
- "Patterns of Isomorphy in the Case
Marking Systems of Tibeto-Burman Languages." Paper presented
at the 27th International Conference on Sino-Tibetan
Languages and Linguistics, Paris, October 12-16th, 1994.
- "Word Order Patterns in
Sino-Tibetan: Their Significance to Theories of Explanation
in Typology." Invited paper presented at the Symposium on
Language Typology, Tsukuba University, Japan, January 19-21,
1994.
- "Ergative Marking in Tibeto-Burman."
Paper (one of two) presented at the 26th International
Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics, Museum
of Ethnology, Osaka, September 13-18th, 1993.
- "On the Change to Verb-Medial Word
Order in Proto-Chinese: Evidence from Tibeto-Burman."
Paper (one of two) presented at the 26th International
Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics, Museum
of Ethnology, Osaka, September 13-18th, 1993.
- "Variable Finals in
Proto-Sino-Tibetan." Paper (one of two) presented at the
25th International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and
Linguistics, U.C. Berkeley, October 14-18th, 1992.
- "Parallel Grammaticalizations in
Tibeto-Burman: Evidence of Sapir's 'Drift'". Paper (one of
two) presented at the 25th International Conference on
Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics, U.C. Berkeley,
October 14-18th, 1992.
- "The Primary Object in
Tibeto-Burman." Paper presented to the 2nd International
Symposium on Chinese Languages and Linguistics, Academia
Sinica, August 9-11, 1991.
- "On the Grammaticalization of
Information Structure in Mandarin Chinese." Paper presented
to the 1989 Annual Meeting of the Linguistic Society of
America, Washington D.C., December 27-30, 1989.
- "On Sino-Tibetan Diachronic Syntax."
Paper presented to the 22nd International Conference on
Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics, University of
Hawaii, Oct. 6-8, 1989.
- "Verb Agreement, Head-Marking vs.
Dependent-Marking, and the 'Deconstruction' of Tibeto-Burman
Morpho-Syntax." Paper presented to the 15th Annual Meeting
of the Berkeley Linguistics Society, UC Berkeley, Feb.
18-20, 1989.
- "'Subject' and Referent Tracking:
Arguments for a Discourse-Based Grammar of Chinese." Paper
presented to the West Coast Conference on Linguistics,
California State University, Fresno, October 14-16, 1988.
- "Topicalization and the Question of
Lexical Passives in Chinese." Paper presented to the Third
Annual Ohio State University Conference on Chinese
Linguistics, Ohio State University, May 13-14, 1988.
- "An Experimental Investigation into
Sound Symbolism as it Relates to Mandarin Chinese." Paper
presented to Conference on Sound Symbolism, U.C. Berkeley,
Jan. 19-21, 1986.
Return to Table of Contents
ASIAN
LANGUAGES ON WHICH I HAVE DONE FIELDWORK
- Cambodian
- Chinese dialects (Southern Fujian,
Beijing subdialects, Shanghai, Guangzhou dialects)
- Dulong (Trung, T'rung; 1st, 3rd, 4th
township and Nujiang dialects)
- Qiang (Ronghong and Qugu varieties of
the northern dialect)
- Rawang ("Nung"; Matwang and Daru
dialects)
- Tagalog
- Vietnamese
Return to Table
of
Contents
EDUCATION
- Ph.D in Linguistics, 1990, Department of
Linguistics , University
of California, Berkeley.
Ph.D Dissertation: Grammatical relations in Chinese:
Synchronic and diachronic considerations. (abstract)
Committee: James
A. Matisoff, Robert
D. Van Valin, Jr., co-chairs; Johanna Nichols.
- M.A. in Linguistics, 1988, Department of
Linguistics , University
of California, Berkeley.
- Two years of graduate work in
Linguistics at Peking
University, September 1981 - July 1983, Beijing,
China.
- M.A. in Applied Linguistics (TESOL),
1980, Department
of
Linguistics , State
University of New York at Stony Brook.
- B.A. in Asian Studies, 1978, State
University of New York at Stony Brook.
- Also attended the 1987 (Stanford)
and 1992 (UC Santa Cruz) Linguistic Society of America
Institutes, and the 1998 Australian Linguistics Institute
(University of Queensland, Brisbane).
Return to Table of Contents
OTHER
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- National Science Council
Visiting Professor, Institute of
Linguistics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan,
February-July 2012.
- Chair of Linguistics, La
Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia, July
2004-January 2012
- Director, Research
Centre
for Linguistic Typology, July 2008-September 2010
La Trobe University
Melbourne, Australia
- Visiting Scholar, October-November, 2010
Peking University
Beijing, China, (Funded by HanBan under Visiting Sinologist
Program)
- Visiting Scholar, November-December, 2008
Institute of
Linguistics
Academia Sinica Taipei, Taiwan
- Cheung Kong Scholar (长江学者) (Chair Professor), February
2005-February 2008
Central University of Nationalities
Beijing, China
- Associate Professor of Linguistics (A Scale), July 1,
2002-June 30,2004
Department of Chinese,
Translation and Linguistics
City University of Hong Kong
Kowloon, Hong Kong
(Information
about my administrative duties at CityU)
- Visiting Fellow, July - December 2002
Research Centre
for Linguistic Typology
La Trobe University,
Melbourne, Australia
- Associate Professor (B Scale), September 1997 - June 2002
Department of Chinese,
Translation and Linguistics
City University of Hong Kong
Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Invited Course Presenter, July 6-16, 1998
Fourth
Australian Linguistics Institute
The University of Queensland
Brisbane, Australia
(Taught"Morphosyntactic Typology and Grammaticalization in
Sino-Tibetan")
- Visiting Fellow, June - August 1998
Research
Centre for Linguistic Typology
The Australian National
University
Canberra, Australia
- Associate Research Fellow, February 1994 - June 1998
Institute of History
and Philology
Academia Sinica
Taipei 11529 Taiwan, ROC
- Research Assistant Professor, September 1996 - August 1997
Department of Chinese,
Translation and Linguistics
City
University of Hong Kong
Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Visiting Professor (Directeur
d'Etudes), September - November, 1994
Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences
Sociales
Paris, France
- Assistant Research Fellow, August
1990 - February 1994
Institute
of History and Philology
Academia
Sinica
Taipei 11529 Taiwan, ROC
- Adjunct Associate Professor, 1991 -
1993
National
Tsing-Hua University
Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC.
Taught four classes: Pragmatics,
Functional Syntax, Typology, and Tibeto-Burman Linguistics.
- Research Assistant, January 1987 -
June 1990
Sino-Tibetan
Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus Project
(James
A. Matisoff, Principle Investigator)
University
of California, Berkeley.
Duties included computer programming,
data-base management, etymological reconstruction, and
editing/production of monographs, fascicles.
- Graduate Student Instructor III,
Linguistics 5 (Introduction to Linguistics), Fall, 1987
Department of
Linguistics, University
of California, Berkeley.
Created and graded exams, homework; led
discussion sections.
- Graduate Student Instructor II,
Chinese 10A-10B (Intermediate Chinese), Aug. 1986 - May 1987
Department of Oriental Languages, University of California,
Berkeley.
Taught classes, created and graded exams,
homeworks.
- English as a Second Language
Instructor, various courses, September 1980 - July
1981
Department of Continuing Education, East
China Normal University, Shanghai.
Developed and taught my own courses.
- Editor/Writer/Translator and Director
of Research and Development
Eurasia Press / China Passage, New York,
1983 - 1985.
Most noteworthy: as Contributing Editor,
did major rewrite of large portions of The China Guidebook
for the 1984 and 1985 editions, and worked as
Advisor/Translator for the first and second W. H. Kellogg
Foundation China Study Tours, May 12 - June 12 and June 13 -
July 11, 1984, respectively.
>Return to Table of Contents
FELLOWSHIPS/GRANTS/HONORS
- Appointed Honorary Professor, Yuxi Normal
University, Yunnan, China, December 2010.
- Visiting Sinologist Grant from HanBan
Office of Chinese government, Beijing, Oct., 2010.
- Elected Honorary Member, Linguistic
Society of the Philippines, November, 2010.
- Invited to join the Advisory Committee of
the Institute of Linguistics, Academia Sinica, 2010.
- Invited to join the Review Panel of the
Endangered Languages Documentation Program, London, 2010.
- Invited to join Editorial Board of Australian Journal of
Linguistics, June 2010.
- Invited to join the Editorial Board of the
Journal of Philippine
Linguistics, 2008.
- Elected to the Australian Academy for the
Humanities, October 2008.
- Elected President of the Australian
Linguistics Society, September 2007.
- Invited to join the Editorial Board of Minzu Yuwen (Nationality
Languages), January 2006.
- Elected Vice President of the Australian
Linguistics Society, September 2005.
- Selected by Ministry of Education of the
PRC to be a Cheung Kong Scholar, February 2005.
- Elected Vice President of the
International Association for Bilingual Studies, January
2005.
- Invited to join the Editorial Board of Nankai Yuyanxue Kan
(Linguistics Journal of Nankai University ), July
2005.
- Invited to join the Editorial Board of Language and Linguistics, April
2004.
- Invited to join the International Advisory
Board of Diachronica:
International Journal for Historical Linguistics,
2002.
- Principle Investigator for Qiang Dialect
Atlas Project, Strategic Research Grant funded by City
University of Hong Kong., July 1, 2001-June 30, 2003.
- Co-authored book, Syntax: Structure,
Meaning, and Function (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics
Series; with Robert D. Van Valin, Jr. Cambridge University
Press, 1997), nominated for the Linguistic Society of
America's Bloomfield Book Award, January 2000.
- Principle Investigator for Rawang
Texts and Dictionary Project, Small-Scale Research
Grant funded by City University of Hong Kong., September
1-December 31, 2000.
- Principle Investigator
for Tibeto-Burman Morphosyntax, Strategic Research
Grant funded by City University of Hong Kong, September
1997- August 1999, renewed for September 1999-August 2000.
- Principle Investigator
for Project for on and Analysis of the Dulong and
Anong Languages, Strategic Research Grant funded by
City University of Hong Kong, September 1997- August 1999.
- Invited to become a
Consulting Editor of Studies in Language, 1997.
- Principle Investigator
for Grammar, Texts, and Glossary of the Northern Qiang
dialect funded by City University of Hong Kong,
1997.
- Award for "Excellence in
Research" from the National
Science
Council
of the ROC, February 1995.
- Principle Investigator
for Rawang/Dulong Project, funded by the Program for
Southeast Asian Area Studies, Academia Sinica,
August 1994-July 1997.
- Associate Investigator
for Project for on and Analysis of Qiangic Languages
(Gong Hwang-cherng, Principle Investigator), funded by the
Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation,
July 1994-June 1996.
- Award for "Excellent
Publication on the Minority Languages of China" from the
Ministry of Education of the ROC, May 1994.
- Principle Investigator
for Northern Qiang Dialect Project, funded by the
National Science Council
of the ROC, April 1994-July 1996.
- Award for "Excellence in
Research" from the National
Science
Council
of the ROC, March 1994.
- Principle Investigator
for Project on Tibeto-Burman Comparative Morphology,
funded by National
Science Council of the ROC, August 1992-July 1993.
- Invited to become a
member of the Editorial Committee of Linguistics of
the Tibeto-Burman Area, September 1990.
- Newhouse Fund Grant
(unsolicited), Spring 1989.
- U.C. Berkeley Institute
of East Asian Studies Fellowship (unsolicited), 1986-87.
- U.S. Department of
Education Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships
for advanced work in Chinese language and linguistics,
1984-85, and 1985-86.
Return to Table of Contents
PUBLISHED INTERVIEWS WITH RANDY LAPOLLA
Return
to Table
of
Contents
Last updated August 13, 2012
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