The German Research Foundation (DFG) recently funded a Göttingen-based Research Training Group (RTG) on “Form-meaning mismatches“. This RTG aims to provide a large group of PhD students with an excellent training in linguistic research by jointly investigating one of the most pressing questions in linguistics, namely to what extent morphosyntactic structures are mapped onto meaning. Not only is this investigation critical to linguistic theory, especially when it concerns the interface between morphosyntax and semantics/pragmatics, but it may also help us better understand language variation (including sign languages), language change, language processing and language acquisition.

The RTG is currently advertising 12 PhD positions with a starting date of September 1, 2021. Information on these positions can be found at: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/form-meaning-mismatches.

Deadline for applications: Feb 17, 2021. See here for the official announcement in German and English:  https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/305402.html?cid=100808.

The RTG covers all core areas of linguistics: grammatical theory (morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics), linguistic variation in spoken and sign languages as well as language change, language processing and language acquisition in both modalities. Facilities are available for a wide-range of research methods including corpus studies, experimentation (for instance, eye tracking), linguistic fieldwork and computational modeling. Furthermore, the RTG does not explicitly restrict the grammatical framework assumed for each research project. Thus, candidates working in not only generative frameworks but also functional grammar, Categorial grammar, LFG, HPSG, among others, are encouraged to apply.

Each graduate student will work on a research project that fits in within the overall theme of the RTG. Applicants can choose a research topic of their own, as long as the proposal fits the RTG’s guiding idea or select one of the suggested projects. Suggested PhD projects can be found on our website. Every applicant has two members of the RTG as their main supervisors. In addition, there is a thesis committee that oversees the overall progress.