Alexandra Aikhenvald
Encyclopedia
Alexandra Yurievna Aikhenvald (born September 1, 1957 in Moscow
, Russia
) is a linguist specialising in Linguistic typology
and the Arawak language family
(including Tariana
) of the Brazilian Amazonia.
Alexandra Aikhenvald earned her undergraduate degree from Moscow State University
, with a thesis on Anatolian languages
(Hittite
). Outside of her classes, she learned Estonian
and Hebrew. After graduation, she joined the research staff of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences, where she earned her Cand. Sc. degree (Soviet equivalent of Ph.D.) in 1984
with a thesis on the "Structural and Typological Classification of Berber
Languages" (1984).
In 1989-1992, Dr. Aikhenvald did research work in Brazil
, and in 1993 started her work in Australia - first at Australian National University
, later at La Trobe University
.
In 1996, the expert on Australian aboriginal languages R. M. W. Dixon
and Alexandra Aikhenvald established the Research Centre for Linguistic Typology
at Australian National University
in Canberra
. On January 1, 2000, the center relocated to La Trobe University
in Melbourne
.
Dixon and Aikhenvald both resigned in May 2008.
In January 2009 she became a professor at the James Cook University
where she and R.M.W. Dixon founded The Language and Culture Research Group.
, Ndu languages
(Eastern Sepik, Papua-New Guinea), alongside a number of articles and monographs on various aspects of linguistic typology.
She has extensively worked on language contact, with particular attention to the multilingual area of the Vaupés River
Basin. She has established a comprehensive typology of classifiers and worked out major parameters for the typology of evidentials as grammatical markers of information source. In addition, she authored a comprehensive grammar of Warekena and of Tariana, both Arawak, in addition to a lengthy Tariana–Portuguese
dictionary (available on-line).
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) is a linguist specialising in Linguistic typology
Linguistic typology
Linguistic typology is a subfield of linguistics that studies and classifies languages according to their structural features. Its aim is to describe and explain the common properties and the structural diversity of the world's languages...
and the Arawak language family
Arawakan languages
Macro-Arawakan is a proposed language family of South America and the Caribbean based on the Arawakan languages. Sometimes the proposal is called Arawakan, in which case the central family is called Maipurean....
(including Tariana
Tariana language
Tariana is an endangered Maipurean language spoken along the Vaupés River in Amazonas, Brazil by approximately 100 people. Another approximately 1500 people in the upper and middle Vaupés River area identify themselves as ethnic Tariana but no longer speak the language.The Tariana and East Tucano...
) of the Brazilian Amazonia.
Biography
Alexandra Aikhenvald was born in an assimilated (Russian-speaking) Jewish family in Moscow. She was fascinated by languages from early childhood, picking some Spanish from her parent's Spanish flatmate, and dreaming of majoring in Latin and Classical studies in university.Alexandra Aikhenvald earned her undergraduate degree from Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
, with a thesis on Anatolian languages
Anatolian languages
The Anatolian languages comprise a group of extinct Indo-European languages that were spoken in Asia Minor, the best attested of them being the Hittite language.-Origins:...
(Hittite
Hittite language
Hittite is the extinct language once spoken by the Hittites, a people who created an empire centred on Hattusa in north-central Anatolia...
). Outside of her classes, she learned Estonian
Estonian language
Estonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people in Estonia and tens of thousands in various émigré communities...
and Hebrew. After graduation, she joined the research staff of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences, where she earned her Cand. Sc. degree (Soviet equivalent of Ph.D.) in 1984
with a thesis on the "Structural and Typological Classification of Berber
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
Languages" (1984).
In 1989-1992, Dr. Aikhenvald did research work in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and in 1993 started her work in Australia - first at Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
, later at La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
.
In 1996, the expert on Australian aboriginal languages R. M. W. Dixon
R. M. W. Dixon
Robert Malcolm Ward Dixon is a Professor of Linguistics at The Cairns Institute, James Cook University, Queensland, and formerly Director of the Research Centre for Linguistic Typology at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.In 1996, Dixon and another linguist, Alexandra Aikhenvald,...
and Alexandra Aikhenvald established the Research Centre for Linguistic Typology
Research Centre for Linguistic Typology
The Research Centre for Linguistic Typology is a research institute originally founded in 1998 in the Australian National University by R. M. W. Dixon which then moved to LaTrobe University, Melbourne in 2000. It is an internationally recognized centre of research on fieldwork linguistics, Language...
at Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. On January 1, 2000, the center relocated to La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Dixon and Aikhenvald both resigned in May 2008.
In January 2009 she became a professor at the James Cook University
James Cook University
James Cook University is a public university based in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The university has two Australian campuses, located in Townsville and Cairns respectively, and an international campus in Singapore. JCU is the second oldest university in Queensland—proclaimed in 1970—and the...
where she and R.M.W. Dixon founded The Language and Culture Research Group.
Research work
Alexandra Aikhenvald has published work on Berber languages, Modern and Classical HebrewHebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, Ndu languages
Ndu languages
The Ndu languages are the best known family of the Sepik languages of northern Papua New Guinea. Ndu is the word for 'man' in the languages that make up this group. The languages were first identified as a related family by Kirschbaum in 1922....
(Eastern Sepik, Papua-New Guinea), alongside a number of articles and monographs on various aspects of linguistic typology.
She has extensively worked on language contact, with particular attention to the multilingual area of the Vaupés River
Vaupés River
Vaupés River is a tributary of the Rio Negro in South America. It arises in the Guaviare Department of Colombia, flowing east through Guaviare and Vaupés Departments. It forms part of the international border between Colombia and the Amazonas state of Brazil. On the border it merges with the...
Basin. She has established a comprehensive typology of classifiers and worked out major parameters for the typology of evidentials as grammatical markers of information source. In addition, she authored a comprehensive grammar of Warekena and of Tariana, both Arawak, in addition to a lengthy Tariana–Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
dictionary (available on-line).
External links
- A.Y. Aikhenvald's page at JCU; contains a link to the CV
- Sasha (Alexandra) Aikhenvald's Linguistics Research - Dr. Aikhenvald's own site
- For want of a word - New Scientist magazine interview
- Telling the Truth in Tariana - ABC radio documentary transcript