Language Variation Contact Details
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Dr Eivind Torgersen
Eivind Torgersen worked in Language Variation and Linguistic Theory (LVLT) until July 2010.
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Senior Research Associate
Degree: MA (Bergen), PhD (Reading)
Associated research centres and groups: Centre for Language in Social Life, Language Variation and Linguistic Theory (LVLT)
Research Interests
I'm a senior research associate working on the ESRC-funded project Multicultural London English: the emergence, acquisition and diffusion of a new variety. I previously worked on the ESRC project Linguistic Innovators: The English of adolescents in London. This study dealt with both phonological and grammatical variation in the capital.
My background is in phonetics and language (phonological) variation so I'm particularly involved in the phonological part of the study. I do all the acoustic and auditory analysis and I transcribe some of the interview data. I also develop perception tests. Most of my language variation research has concentrated on vowel changes in south-east England, but I have recently also been working on a study on indefinite articles and tags in London English funded by the British Academy.
My other research interests are in experimental phonetics and speech processing, especially models for word recognition. Before coming to Lancaster I was at the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies at the University of Reading. My PhD (Temporal and semantic factors in perception of the voicing contrast: Processing strategies in L1 and L2, University of Reading, 2004) was a psycholinguistic study on speech processing strategies in second language learners and native speakers of English. In particular it examined how language learners use phonetic and semantic information very early in time after the information was received.
Publications
Torgersen, E., Gabrielatos, C., Hoffmann, S. and Fox, S. (under revision) A corpus-based study of pragmatic markers in London English. Corpus Linguistics and Linguistic Theory.
Torgersen, E. (in press) A perceptual study of ethnicity and geographical location in London and Birmingham. In P. Stoeckle, S. Hansen, T. Streck and C. Schwartz (eds.) Raumkonzepte. Berlin: Mouton.
Fox, S., Khan, A. and Torgersen, E. (in press) The emergence and diffusion of Multicultural English. In F. Kern and M. Selting (eds.) Ethnic styles in speaking. Amsterdam: Benjamins.
Gabrielatos, C., Torgersen, E., Hoffmann, S. and Fox, S. (in press) A corpus-based sociolinguistic study of indefinite article forms in London English. Journal of English Linguistics. DOI:10.1177/0075424209352729
Cheshire, J., Fox, S., Kerswill, P. and Torgersen, E. (2008) Ethnicity as the motor of dialect change: Innovation and levelling in London. Sociolinguistica 22: 1-23.
Kerswill, P., Torgersen, E. and Fox, S. (2008) Reversing 'drift': Innovation and diffusion in the London diphthong system. Language Variation and Change 20: 451-491. DOI:10.1017/S0954394508000148
Torgersen, E., Kerswill, P. and Fox, S. (2006) Ethnicity as a source of changes in the London vowel system. In F. Hinskens (ed.) Language Variation - European Perspectives. Amsterdam: Benjamins. 249-263.
Torgersen, E. and Kerswill, P. (2004) Internal and external motivation in phonetic change: Dialect levelling outcomes for an English vowel shift. Journal of Sociolinguistics 8: 23-53. DOI:10.1111/j.1467-9841.2004.00250.x
Torgersen, E. (2003) Temporal and semantic factors in perception of the voicing contrast: Different processing strategies in L1 and L2. Proceedings from the 15th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, Barcelona. 2897-2900.
Torgersen, E. (2002) Phonological distribution of the FOOT vowel in young people's speech in south-eastern British English. Reading Working Papers in Linguistics 6: 25-38.
Torgersen, E. (2002) Temporal factors in perception of the voicing contrast: Immediate semantic effects on speech processing and the L2 learner. Proceedings from Temporal Integration in Speech. 50. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Torgersen, E. (2001) Context effects of phonemic categorisation in foreign languages - implications for language teaching. Proceedings from the Phonetics Teaching and Learning Conference 2001. 59-62.
Recent conference presentations
Torgersen, E., Blakeley, L. and Patchett, D. Age and ethnic variation in Blackburn. Paper presented at Northern Englishes Workshop 4, University of Sheffield, April 2010.
Torgersen, E. & Gabrielatos, C. A corpus-based study of indefinite article and invariant tag use in spoken London English. Paper presented at CLAVIER 2009, University of Modena, November 2009.
Pichler, H. and Torgersen, E. It's (not) diffusing, innit?: The origins of innit in British English. Poster presented at NWAV 38, University of Ottawa, October 2009.
Kerswill, P. and Torgersen, E. Age-grading and vowel systems in Multicultural London English. Paper presented at NWAV 38, University of Ottawa, October 2009.
Cheshire, J., Fox, S., Khan, A., Kerswill, P. and Torgersen, E. How data from sociolinguistic studies can be used in materials for schools and colleges. Paper presented at BAAL, University of Newcastle, September 2009.
Blakeley, L. and Torgersen, E. Language and ethnicity in Blackburn. Paper presented at UKLVC 7, University of Newcastle, September 2009.
Pichler, H. and Torgersen, E. The sociolinguistic and functional distribution of innit in Berwick English and Multicultural London English. Paper presented at UKLVC 7, University of Newcastle, September 2009.
Torgersen, E., Kerswill, P., Fox, S. and Khan, A. Investigating language and ethnicity in London: Production and perception data. Paper presented at UKLVC 7, University of Newcastle, September 2009.
Torgersen, E. and Gabrielatos, C. A corpus-based study of invariant tags in London English. Paper presented at the Corpus Linguistics Conference, University of Liverpool, July 2009.
Fox, S. and Torgersen, E. The acquisition of Multicultural London English: a case study. Paper presented at ICLCE 3, London, July 2009.
Kerswill, P., Torgersen, E., Cheshire, J., Fox, S. and Khan, A. The temporal and lifespan trajectory of 'Multicultural London English' as a clue to its origins and vitality. Paper presented at ICLaVE 5, University of Copenhagen, June 2009.
Gabrielatos, C. and Torgersen, E. A corpus-based sociolinguistic analysis of indefinite article use in London English. Paper presented at ICAME 30, Lancaster University, May 2009.
Cheshire, J., Fox, S., Khan, A., Kerswill, P. and Torgersen, E. Investigating language and ethnicity in London: Production and perception data. Paper presented at Production, Perception and Attitude, University of Leuven, April 2009.
Kerswill, P., Torgersen, E., Khan, A. and Fox, S. Perceiving ethnicity and place in Multicultural London English. Paper presented at NWAV 37, Rice University, Houston, November 2008.
Cheshire, J., Fox, S., Kerswill, P., Khan, A. and Torgersen, E. Innovation in London is not equal to levelling in south-east England. Paper presented at Methods in Dialectology XIII, University of Leeds, August 2008.
Kerswill, P., Khan, A. and Torgersen, E. Multicultural London English and linguistic innovation. Paper presented at SS 17, Free University of Amsterdam, April 2008.
Cheshire, J., Fox, S., Kerswill, P., Khan, A. and Torgersen, E. Multicultural youth speech as the source of innovation in London English. Paper presented at Jugendsprache, University of Copenhagen, March 2008.
Torgersen, E., Kerswill, P. and Fox S. Phonological innovation in London teenage speech. Paper presented at ICLaVE 4, University of Cyprus, June 2007.
Kerswill, P., Torgersen, E. and Watson, E. Dialect contact in the north-west of England: Examining the evidence. Paper presented at Northern Englishes Workshop 2, University of Edinburgh, March 2007.
Kerswill, P., Torgersen, E. and Fox S. Innovation in Inner-London teenage speech. Paper presented at NWAV 35, Columbus OH, November 2006.
Kerswill, P., Torgersen, E. and Fox, S. Endogenous linguistic change in inner-London teenage speech as the generator of innovations: Implications for models of innovation, levelling and diffusion. Paper presented at SS 16, Limerick, July 2006.
Kerswill, P., Torgersen, E., Fox, S. and Cheshire, S. Endogenous linguistic change in inner-London teenage speech as the generator of vowel innovations: Implications for models of innovation, levelling and diffusion. Poster presented at AVC workshop, UCL, March 2006.
Kerswill, P., Torgersen, E., Fox, S. and Cheshire, S. Endogenous linguistic change in inner-London teenage speech as the generator of vowel innovations: Implications for models of innovation, levelling and diffusion. Paper presented at NWAV 34, New York University, October 2005.
Cheshire, J., Fox, S., Kerswill, P. and Torgersen, E. Reversing 'drift': changes in the London diphthong system. Paper presented at UKLVC 5, University of Aberdeen, September 2005.
Kerswill, P. and Torgersen, E. Ethnicity as a source of changes in the London vowel system. Paper presented at ICLaVE 3, University of Amsterdam, June 2005.
Torgersen, E. Phonological change in London English: 'Diphthong Shift' reversal and other vowel changes. Paper presented at PLM, University of Poznan, April 2005.
Eprints Publications Repository and Bibliographic Database
Eivind Torgersen has 6 selected publication records listed on this webpage. Use links to access abstracts and full text where available. View all records to sort by date, type and title. For all ePrints records go to http://eprints.lancs.ac.uk
Associated Keywords: Language variation and change, Linguistics, Phonetics, Sociolinguistics, Sociophonetics
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