PhD position in the Yucatec Maya Sign Language Project
Duration: 24 months

Stipend: 352,834 MXN (14,700 MXN monthly) [771 USD monthly]
Other funding: fieldwork expenses, conference expenses, informant payment
Material (for the duration of the project): computer (mac book pro 2018), video camera 4k,Hard drives
Requisites:
– The candidate should have been educated in sign language studies, ideally with an emphasis on syntax
– Ideally be inscribed in a PhD program in Mexico or abroad
– Have as a director (or co-director) Dr. Olivier Le Guen
– Be ready to learn Yucatec Maya Sign Language
– Speak some Spanish (if a hearing person)
– Be ready to learn some Maya (if a hearing person)
– Conduct an original research
– Conduct long term field research in various communities of the Yucatec Peninsula (doing fieldwork)
– Be ready for team work (with YMSL Project team members)
Products
– PhD thesis
– One Journal paper (preferably in English in an international Journal)
– Present in conferences (national and international)
Theme: Understanding and describing the syntax of the Yucatec Maya Sign Language used in various communities of the peninsula. The work will be comparative at two level: within communities of the peninsula and cross-cultural (with other sign languages). At the theoretical level, it will come to challenge or confirm proposal such like Sandler’s (2017) that syntax is first in the emerging sign languages (before phonology).
Description: The PhD project is an exciting opportunity to describe an emerging language from an original perspective. It will allow the candidate to conduct an innovative research not only through the description of a new language but it will provide her/him with the opportunity to contribute to the theory of sign language emergence and language evolution. Although the stipend is not elevated, it is compensated by the covering of fieldwork expenses and reasonable prices for living for Mexico. Additionally, as the candidate is expected to do a lot of fieldwork, (s)he will have few expenditures.
Information: www.ymslproject.org
ompleguen@gmail.com