M Lynn Landweer, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor - Applied Anthropology
E-mail: ml_landweer@gial.edu or Lynn_Landweer@sil.org


Lynn Landweer
 Lynn has been affiliated with the Foundation for Endangered Languages (1998-2005) and the Linguistic Society of Papua New Guinea (1987-2002, 2008-2009). She is currently affiliated with SIL International (1982-present).
Her fieldwork spans 15 years of sociolinguistic research (1986-2001) in Papua New Guinea, including in situ documentation of the languages of 17 disparate ethnic groups, all between 1989-2001.
In terms of hobbies, Lynn loves to whip up a fancy dessert with which to surprise students or better yet, plan and prepare a three course dinner for four around her table. When she is not in the kitchen she can be found reading (especially sociolinguistics, history (British and American) and apologetics); word-smithing … whether to keep up with family and friends who now encircle the globe or in poetic efforts of private expression; shopping; photography; attending concerts of classical- and romance-period music; and very occasionally quilting. She loves the out of doors, and is especially fond of white-water rivers, crashing ocean surf, and the majestic beauty of conifer forests.

 

 

University of Essex, England

2006, Ph.D. in Sociolinguistics

University of Texas at Arlington

1985, M.A. Linguistics

California State University, Fullerton

1979, Clinical Rehabilitation Services Credential

Biola College, Los Angeles, California

1975, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Communications-Speech Pathology/Audiology

 

 

Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics, Dallas, TX
2009 – Present

SIL International, Dallas, TX
1982 – Present

 
Assistant Professor of Applied Anthropology
 
She teaches theoretical and practical sociolinguistics courses:
  • LD 4350. Language and Society
  • LD 5354. Language Contact
  • LD 5366. Theory and Practice of Sociolinguistics
She has taught
  • LD 5362. Survey Methods
Guest Lectureships
 
9-12/ 2007       Lecturer                          Canadian Institute of Linguistics
                                                             Trinity Western University
                                                             Principles of Language Survey
 
6-8/ 2007         Lecturer                          Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics
                                                             Principles of Language Survey
 
2002 – 2006      Post graduate Lecturer     Department of Language and Linguistics, University of Essex
                                                             Various topics in Sociolinguistics
 
1995 – 1997      Lecturer                         Academic Staff: SIL
                                                             University of Texas at Arlington
                                                             Sociolinguistics
 
6 – 8/ 1995        Lecturer                        Academic Staff:  SIL
                                                            University of Oregon, Eugene
                                                            Sociolinguistics
 
1991 – 1992      Lecturer                         Academic Staff:  SIL
                                                            Kangaroo Ground, Victoria, Australia
                                                            Sociolinguistics
 
6 - 8/ 1990        Lecturer                        Academic Staff:  SIL
                                                            University of Oregon, Eugene
                                                            Phonetics and Sociolinguistics     
 
1988                 Lecturer                        Academic Staff:  SIL
                                                            Kangaroo Ground, Victoria, Australia
                                                            Phonetics and Sociolinguistics
 
1985                 Lecturer                        Academic Staff:  SIL
                                                            University of North Dakota
                                                            Phonetics
 
1984                 Lecturer                        Academic Staff:  SIL
                                                            University of Oklahoma
                                                            Phonetics
 
  

 

She has presented papers addressing issues of language maintenance and shift at the Universities of Essex (2002, 2004); Helsinki (2001); Papua New Guinea (1999, 2008, 2009); and Edinburgh (1998), the latter in conjunction with the Foundation of Endangered Languages. Under the auspices of SIL International, she has taught at the Universities of Oklahoma (1984); North Dakota (1985); Oregon (1990, 1995); and Texas-Arlington (1995-1997); Trinity Western University: CanIL (2007); and the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics (2008). During her tenure at the University of Essex, she guest-lectured for faculty (2003, 2004).

Her most recent publications are:
  • Landweer, M. Lynn and Peter Unseth (eds.) 2012. International Journal of the Sociology of Language:  Special Issue – Language Use in Melanesia. 214.
  • Landweer, M. Lynn and Peter Unseth. 2012. An introduction to language use in Melanesia. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 214. 1-3.
  • Landweer,  M. Lynn. 2012. Methods of language endangerment research:  a perspective from Melanesia. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 214. 153-178.
  • Book review 2012. Florey, Margaret (ed.) Endangered languages of Austronesia.  Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2010. 304 pp.  International Journal of the Sociology of Language 214. 179-189.
  • Landweer, M. Lynn. 2011.  Is English education always detrimental to vernacular languages? In Tania Granadillo and Heidi A Orcutt-Gachiri (eds.) Ethnographic contributions to the study of endangered languages. 42-54. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press. 
  • Landweer, M. Lynn. 2010. Land-Language Link. IN Kenneth A. McElhanon and Ger Reesink (eds.) A mosaic of languages and cultures:  Studies celebrating the career of Karl J. Franklin. Dallas:  SIL International.
  • A review of David Crystal’s volume Language Death, published in 2000 by Cambridge University Press.
Articles waiting for publication:
  • Rapid Appraisal Language Viability Measure: A Grass Roots Proposal for Language and Linguistics in Melanesia (submitted October 2008)

 

Her primary research interests lie in the sociolinguistic phenomena of language maintenance and language shift, as found particularly in Melanesia, as well as the documentation and development of small and/or endangered languages in that region.