Convenors:
Prof. Peter L. Patrick
Language & Linguistics
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
Essex, UK
+44 (0) 1206 872088

Prof. Monika Schmid Language & Linguistics University of Essex & University of Groningen
+44 (0) 1206 872089  

Dr. Karin Zwaan
Centre for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen P.O. Box 9049
6500KK Nijmegen
the Netherlands
+31 24 361.2934

E-mail: larg@essex.ac.uk

ESRC LADO Network

ESRC logo

The ESRC LADO Network is a network of researchers established through the UK Economic and Social Research Council grant no. RES-451-26-0911 to Prof. Peter L. Patrick of the University of Essex Dept. of Language & Linguistics and Human Rights Centre, in order to conduct a series of Research Seminars. The theme is "Language Analysis of Asylum Applicants: Foundations, Guidelines & Best Practice", and the meetings are being held in 2011-12 at the University of Essex.

The membership of the ESRC LADO Network initially consists of the LARG Convenors and Advisory Panel. The four meetings reach beyond this membership to involve a broad range of academics and practitioners, as well as postgraduate students and young scholars. They will assemble linguists and professionals involved in Language Analysis for Determination of Origins (LADO), as well as participants from legal, government, academic, NGO and other backgrounds engaged in refugee status determination.

ESRC LADO Network Seminar #2:

"The Role of Native Speakers in LADO "

Fri 26 November 2011

University of Essex Colchester campus, Square 1, Room 4SB.5.3

Description:

A central issue dividing the field of LADO practice is summed up in the questions:

  • What role should the concept of Native Speaker play in developing and testing hypotheses in Language Analysis for Determination of Origin (LADO)?
  • What role should non-expert native speakers (NENS) play in the linguistic analysis of speech data, in the context of status determination?

This workshop considered what the tasks required in LADO work typically are, and what they should be. Its remit was to:

  • take into account the literature on the role of NENS as sources of data and insights in general linguistics; r
  • eview the contributions of perceptual dialectology research, which investigates folk linguistic views on the categorization of language varieties, alongside findings from
  • ...language attitude testing, in which NENS attempt to characterize unknown speakers;
  • consider relevant phonetic research on accent identification and speaker recognition;
  • draw on work in language attrition and complex multilingualism; and
  • consider the problematisation of the notion of ‘native speaker’, and its relevance for LADO work, in light of its reformulation and negotiation in terms of language expertise, affiliation and/or inheritance.

Based on these appraisals, discussion focused on identifying common ground and problematic areas among linguists of relevant areas, and developing a research agenda, concerning the refinement or abandonment of the notion ‘native speaker’ for developing and testing LADO hypotheses - as well as the abilities, training and qualification of NENS for conducting LADO analysis, and for appropriate collaboration between NENS and linguistic experts in LADO.

Participants:

Name Affiliation Role
Dr Enam Al-Wer Univ of Essex, Linguistics; LARG Participant
Altahair Attia Independent Researcher Participant
Matthew Avery University of Essex Student Participant
Adrian Birch Kings' College, London Participant
Leyla Çaglar University of Utrecht Student Participant
Dr. Tina Cambier-Langeveld Netherlands BLT/OCILA Speaker: "Actual practice: The task at hand and the matching expert"
Prof Gerard Docherty Newcastle University Discussant for Prof.Francis Nolan
Salifu Faal University of Essex Student Participant
Prof Susan Fitzmaurice Sheffield University Discussant for Dr Fallou Ngom
Konstantina Fotiou University of Essex Student Participant
Prof Paul Foulkes York University / JP French Discussant for Dr Tina Cambier-Langeveld
Dr Helen Fraser Independent Researcher Speaker: "The role of native speakers in LADO: Are we missing a more important question?"
Peter Gottschligg  LADO practitioner, Vienna Participant
Chika Hosoda University of Essex Student Participant
Lars Johan Lundberg Verified, Production mgr/linguist Participant
Dr. Abolaji Samuel Mustapha Sheffield Hallam/Lagos State Univ. Participant
Dr Fallou Ngom Boston University Speaker: "Enhancing the Reliability of LADO: Examples from Fula and Wolof cases"
Prof Francis Nolan Cambridge University Speaker: "Phonetic degrees of freedom: An argument for native speakers in LADO"
Torrbjorn Norrbom Sprakab, linguist Participant
Prof Peter L Patrick Univ of Essex, Linguistics, Human Rights; LARG Organizer
Prof Dennis Preston Oklahoma State University Speaker: "What Native Speakers Don't Know (But Don't Know They Don't)"
Rebeen Rasheed University of Essex Student Participant
Prof Monika Schmid Groningen University Speaker: "Language attrition as a problem for LADO"
Dr Linda Shockey University of Reading Discussant for Dr Helen fraser
Elisabeth Sneller University of Essex Student Participant
Dr Jan ten Thije University of Utrecht Discussant for Prof Dennis Preston
Prof. Peter Trudgill emeritus Fribourg University Participant
Ariel Vazquez Carranza Univ of Essex, Linguistics Assistant Organizer
Dr Maaike Verrips De Taalstudio agency, Director Discussant for Prof Monika Schmid
     

Schedule:

  • 9:00am    Coffee
    9:15am    Welcome: Peter L Patrick
    9:30am    Dennis Preston: "What Native Speakers Don't Know (But Don't Know They Don't)" 
    10:00am  Jan ten Thije, discussant
    10:15am  General discussion
    10:30am  -- Coffee break --
    10:45am  Helen Fraser: "The role of native speakers in LADO: Are we missing a more important question?" 
    11:15am  Linda Shockey, discussant 
    11:30am  General discussion 
    11:45am  Monika Schmid: "Language attrition as a problem for LADO" 
    12:15      Maaike Verrips, discussant
    12:30      General discussion
    12:45      -- Lunch (provided)--
    2:00pm    Tina Cambier-Langeveld, "Actual practice: The task at hand and the matching expert"
    2:30pm    Paul Foulkes, discussant
    2:45pm    General discussion 
    3:00pm    -- Coffee break  --
    3:15pm    Francis Nolan, "Phonetic degrees of freedom: An argument for native speakers in LADO"
    3:45pm    Gerry Docherty, discussant
    4:00pm    General discussion 
    4:15pm    Fallou Ngom, "Enhancing the Reliability of LADO: Examples from Fula and Wolof cases" 
    4:45pm    Susan Fitzmaurice, discussant
    5:00pm    General discussion
    5:15pm    Peter L Patrick, round-up discussant 
    5:45pm    Peter L Patrick, Plans and publication 
    6:00pm    -- Drinks reception -- 
    7:00pm    Informal dinner in Colchester (optional)