Sarah Thomason
Encyclopedia
Sarah Grey Thomason is a linguist
known particularly for her work on language contact
, historical linguistics
, pidgin
s and creoles, Slavic Linguistics, typological universals
, and xenoglossy
. She has also worked since 1981 documenting Montana Salish. She is one of the Language Log
bloggers.
Thomason received her B.A. from Stanford University
and her Ph.D. from Yale University
in 1968. She taught Slavic Linguistics at Yale from 1968 to 1971 before moving to the University of Pittsburgh
in 1972. Since 1999 she has been William J. Gedney
Collegiate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Michigan.
She is married to philosopher/computer scientist Richmond Thomason and is the mother of linguist Lucy Thomason.
From 1988 to 1994 she was the editor of Language, the journal of the Linguistic Society of America
.
In 1999 she was Collitz Professor at the Linguistic Society of America summer institute. In 2000 she was President of the Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas
.
Thomason is known for the interesting doodles that she draws while listening to talks at conferences.
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
known particularly for her work on language contact
Language contact
Language contact occurs when two or more languages or varieties interact. The study of language contact is called contact linguistics.Multilingualism has likely been common throughout much of human history, and today most people in the world are multilingual...
, historical linguistics
Historical linguistics
Historical linguistics is the study of language change. It has five main concerns:* to describe and account for observed changes in particular languages...
, pidgin
Pidgin
A pidgin , or pidgin language, is a simplified language that develops as a means of communication between two or more groups that do not have a language in common. It is most commonly employed in situations such as trade, or where both groups speak languages different from the language of the...
s and creoles, Slavic Linguistics, typological universals
Linguistic universal
A linguistic universal is a pattern that occurs systematically across natural languages, potentially true for all of them. For example, All languages have nouns and verbs, or If a language is spoken, it has consonants and vowels. Research in this area of linguistics is closely tied to the study of...
, and xenoglossy
Xenoglossy
Xenoglossy , also written xenoglossia , is the putative paranormal phenomenon in which a person is able to speak or write a language he or she supposedly could not have acquired by natural means...
. She has also worked since 1981 documenting Montana Salish. She is one of the Language Log
Language Log
Language Log is a collaborative language blog maintained by University of Pennsylvania phonetician Mark Liberman.The site is updated daily at the whims of the contributors, and most of the posts are on language use in the media and popular culture. Google search results are frequently used as a...
bloggers.
Thomason received her B.A. from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and her Ph.D. from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1968. She taught Slavic Linguistics at Yale from 1968 to 1971 before moving to the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in 1972. Since 1999 she has been William J. Gedney
William J. Gedney
William J. Gedney was an American linguist and Southeast Asian language specialist. Gedney did extensive work Tai historical linguistics.-Life:...
Collegiate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Michigan.
She is married to philosopher/computer scientist Richmond Thomason and is the mother of linguist Lucy Thomason.
From 1988 to 1994 she was the editor of Language, the journal of the Linguistic Society of America
Linguistic Society of America
The Linguistic Society of America is a professional society for linguists. It was founded in 1924 to advance linguistics, the scientific study of human language. The LSA has over 5,000 individual members and welcomes linguists of all kinds. It works to advance the discipline and to communicate...
.
In 1999 she was Collitz Professor at the Linguistic Society of America summer institute. In 2000 she was President of the Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas
Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas
The Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas is an international organization founded in 1981 devoted to the study of the indigenous languages of North, Central, and South America....
.
Thomason is known for the interesting doodles that she draws while listening to talks at conferences.