Two academic members of staff have been elected Ordinary Fellows of the British Academy.

Professor Ray Pahl, of the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), and Professor Harald Clahsen, of the Department of Language and Linguistics, were elected at the British Academy's Annual General Meeting in July.

Ordinary Fellows are scholars who have 'attained distinction in any of the branches of study which it is the object of the Academy to promote', the humanities and the social sciences. Up to 35 Fellows are appointed each year.

Professor Clahsen has published eight books and over 100 research articles on first and second language acquisition, language disorders in children and adults, and language processing. He is the recipient of the Gerhard-Hess Award from the German Science Foundation for his work on language acquisition and an award for his book on child language disorders. He has been the coordinator of several large research projects, and he co-edits Benjamins’ book series on Language Development and Language Disorders. In addition to acquisition, disorders and processing of language, his research interests include theories of morphology and syntax.

Professor Pahl's research has focused on family, work and households; friends, 'communities' and sources of social glue; insecurity and the service class; new forms of polarisation. His current research is on 'Rethinking Friendship'.