Multilingualism

Summary

Multilingualism can be defined as the situation whereby one individual can use more than one language. Definitions vary wildly, especially on the level of proficiency of the various languages and the mode of acquisition, but multilingual learners have been at the centre of linguistic research that seeks to address a number of questions:

(a) what is the impact of age of onset on the acquisition of a second language?

(b) Are all areas of language affected equally by the age of onset, cf. vocabulary vs. syntax?

(c) What is the role of input in the acquisition of more than one language, in terms of frequency, quality and quantity of input?

(d) what is the impact of the different typological/morphological features of the two (or more) languages, in terms of transfer of linguistic features from one language to the other during the process of acquisition?

In addition to these questions, multilingualism can also give rise to questions around language contact as change in progress and language identity. In Northern Ireland there are a number of multilingual communities, with different characteristics and needs. Perhaps the most prominent among them is the Irish-English bilingual community, which also exhibits a wide range of variation within it in terms of proficiency of speakers, mode of acquisition and support of the second language in school. On top of that there are also a number of other bilingual groups that range from Heritage speakers of minority languages to sequential bilinguals. The linguistic profile of Northern Ireland now features speakers with Slavic languages (Polish, Lithuanian, Russian), Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese but also varieties of Arabic (Sudanese and Somali Arabic) in addition to Roma speakers. This variety of speakers makes Northern Ireland an ideal place to study multilingualism.

Projects in this area may address these questions with experimental and corpus approaches. Research questions may focus on one or more types of bilingualism or bilingual populations, either at a particular age or across different ages. Students are invited to contact potential supervisors for more specific information on appropriate research questions.

Recommended Reading

• Devlin, M., Folli, R., Henry, A. and Sevdali, C. (2015) Clitic right dislocation in English: cross-linguistic influence in multilingual acquisition, Lingua, vol 161, 101-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2015.02.001
• Kane , F., Kennedy, L., Sevdali, C., Folli R., Rhys, C. (2019) Language Made Fun: Supporting EAL students in primary education, Teanga: Special Edition: Multilingualism in the Early Years. Vol. 10 Special Issue. ed. Irish Association for Applied Linguistics, 2019. p. 113-125. https://doi.org/10.35903/teanga.v10i0.73

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
• Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal
• Research proposal of 1500 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• First Class Honours (1st) Degree

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Vice Chancellors Research Studentship (VCRS)

The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:

• Full award: (full-time tuition fees + £19,000 (tbc))
• Part Award: (full-time tuition fees + £9,500)
• Fees Only Award: (full-time tuition fees)

These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.

Department for the Economy (DFE)

The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).

This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.

• Candidates with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, who also satisfy a three year residency requirement in the UK prior to the start of the course for which a Studentship is held MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance.
• Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals who satisfy three years’ residency in the UK prior to the start of the course MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance (ROI nationals don’t need to have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to qualify).
• Other non-ROI EU applicants are ‘International’ are not eligible for this source of funding.
• Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living

The Doctoral College at Ulster University

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