Scientists working on the EU funded AThEME project are looking to recruit Italian-English bilingual adults for their research into how people process multiple languages. [Read more…]
Research is not only sitting in front of your computer for hours
April 8, 2016 by
I am doing my PhD in Linguistics at Edinburgh. However, I’ve just found myself travelling to a big island in the Mediterranean Sea, meeting people with striking linguistic backgrounds and chatting about my research with enthusiastic listeners. I also happened to eat ravioli with mint and cheese (“culurgiones”), and sweets made of boiled grape (“thiriccas”), and of ricotta and saffron (“pardulas”). If any or all of the above sound appealing to you, here’s how I came to Sardinia to test bilingual speakers of my own language – Italian – and their own – Sardinian.
Scotland or Sardinia? Sheep grazing in the countryside
Research participants wanted: Italian-English bilinguals
January 26, 2016 by
Scientists working on the EU funded AThEME project are looking to recruit Italian-English bilingual adults for their research into how people process multiple languages.
Participant requirements
- native speakers of Italian (i.e., since you were born)
- have lived in Scotland or other English speaking country for at least the past three years
- aged between 18 – 40 inclusive
- have no history of hearing or language impairment
- do not wear contact lenses. If you wear glasses, please specify what type of lenses you use in your contact e-mail.
Take part in the study
In this experiment, participants will take part an eye-tracking experiment at the computer (a small camera will measure your eye movements as you look at the screen), together with a test and a questionnaire.
Testing takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes and takes place at the University of Edinburgh’s Psychology Building (7 George Square, central campus).
Participants will be paid £12 (cash payment) in return for contributing to this research.
Testing will take place throughout February. For further information or to register your interest in taking part, please contact lead researcher Michela Bonfieni
Research participants wanted: Multilingual speakers of British English
July 7, 2015 by
Scientists working on the EU funded AThEME project are looking to recruit multilingual speakers of British English for their research into how people process multiple languages.
Participant requirements
- native speakers of British English (i.e., since you were born)
- have a native, or near native knowledge of one or more other languages, or have been exposed to one or more other language since childhood
- aged between 18 – 30 inclusive
- have no history of hearing or language impairment
Take part in the study
In this experiment, participants will play a picture game on the computer and will be asked to answer some questions.
Testing takes 1 hour and 20 minutes and takes place at the University of Edinburgh’s Psychology Building (7 George Square, central campus).
Participants will be paid £8 (cash payment) in return for contributing to this research.
Testing will take place throughout July. For further information or to register your interest in taking part, please contact lead researcher Michela Bonfieni
AThEME branch of Bilingualism Matters opens in Nantes
March 6, 2015 by
On 27th February 2015, a new branch of Bilingualism Matters opened at the University of Nantes. The French branch is the seventh to open as part of the EU-funded AThEME project; over the next five years researchers at Nantes will be disseminating the results of this major research project around France.
The branch director, Hamida Demirdache, organised an Bilingualism-themed evening entitled “One brain, two languages: an investment for life” to launch the new initiative, with a public lecture from Edinburgh’s own Prof. Antonella Sorace. The event was also attended by Prof. Lisa Cheng of Leiden University, who is leading the AThEME project overall. Prof Cheng said: “staff at Nantes have done a brilliant and impressive job launching this new branch, and I look forward to watching it evolve alongside the AThEME project”.
As part of the launch event, Prof. Antonella Sorace also spoke to Raphaëlle Besançon from EURadioNantes about life, bilingualism, and everything… in French! Très bien! You can listen to the French language interview on the EURadioNantes website.
Slovenian branch of Bilingualism Matters opens as part of AThEME project
December 18, 2014 by
On 25th November 2014, the Slovenian branch of Bilingualism Matters (“Večjezičnost Velja”) was launched at the University of Nova Gorica as part of the AThEME project.
Welcoming addresses were given by Dr. Rok Žaucer, director of the Center for Cognitive Science of Language, prof. Dr. Mladen Franko, vice-rector of the University, Sandra Sodini, director of the European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EZTS) and by Dr. Sara Andreetta, director of the new branch. Professor Sorace from the Bilingualism Matters HQ in Edinburgh gave a talk on the major facts, challenges and benefits of bilingualism. The talks were followed by a musical performance from students of the Music school of Nova Gorica.
The following day Professor Sorace held a public lecture entitled “Bilingualism: an investment for families and society” in Gorizia, on the Italian side of the border between Italy and Slovenia.
Both events were attended by an audience very interested in the topic of bilingualism! Indeed, in many cases they were bilingual themselves in Slovenian and Italian languages, due to the particular condition of living in the border between the two countries.
