Elisabeth J. Kerr
@elisabethjkerr.bsky.social
Linguist / syntactician / Africanist
FWO Postdoctoral Fellow, Ghent University
Visiting Researcher, CNRS-LLACAN
FWO Postdoctoral Fellow, Ghent University
Visiting Researcher, CNRS-LLACAN
First time in my life I see this way of writing lowercase <i> - these are the words "ikniun" and "oil"
November 18, 2025 at 6:20 PM
First time in my life I see this way of writing lowercase <i> - these are the words "ikniun" and "oil"
Yesterday was the end of the marking period for the UK Linguistics Olympiad - keeping up the annual tradition of marking it (after quickly giving it a go myself). You can find a trove of past years' puzzles here: www.uklo.org/past-exam-pa...
November 18, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Yesterday was the end of the marking period for the UK Linguistics Olympiad - keeping up the annual tradition of marking it (after quickly giving it a go myself). You can find a trove of past years' puzzles here: www.uklo.org/past-exam-pa...
I offer autumn at the Notre Dame this weekend
November 10, 2025 at 5:21 PM
I offer autumn at the Notre Dame this weekend
Today in linguistic example sentences 🍅
(Source: Gueche Fotso's 2024 illustration of resumptive pronouns for left-dislocated topics in Nda'Nda')
(Source: Gueche Fotso's 2024 illustration of resumptive pronouns for left-dislocated topics in Nda'Nda')
November 10, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Today in linguistic example sentences 🍅
(Source: Gueche Fotso's 2024 illustration of resumptive pronouns for left-dislocated topics in Nda'Nda')
(Source: Gueche Fotso's 2024 illustration of resumptive pronouns for left-dislocated topics in Nda'Nda')
Moved to Paris for a 4-month research stay at the CNRS research unit Languages and cultures of Africa (LLACAN) 🇫🇷
November 5, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Moved to Paris for a 4-month research stay at the CNRS research unit Languages and cultures of Africa (LLACAN) 🇫🇷
I am co-convening WS06 with Mark Van de Velde, on the effects of maximality constraints on verb structure. We welcome relevant submissions on any Bantu/Bantoid language - see the full description here: www.bantugent.ugent.be/wp-content/u... #Bantu11
November 1, 2025 at 1:17 PM
I am co-convening WS06 with Mark Van de Velde, on the effects of maximality constraints on verb structure. We welcome relevant submissions on any Bantu/Bantoid language - see the full description here: www.bantugent.ugent.be/wp-content/u... #Bantu11
Here are the 11 workshops: www.bantugent.ugent.be/bantu11/#anc... #Bantu11
November 1, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Here are the 11 workshops: www.bantugent.ugent.be/bantu11/#anc... #Bantu11
It's nice to be back in Germany. This beer is pleasantly called BAYREUTHER HELL
October 23, 2025 at 8:51 PM
It's nice to be back in Germany. This beer is pleasantly called BAYREUTHER HELL
I'm told I just gave what must have been the first ever linguistics talk in Bayreuth's the new African studies building. Let's hope for many more!
October 23, 2025 at 8:37 PM
I'm told I just gave what must have been the first ever linguistics talk in Bayreuth's the new African studies building. Let's hope for many more!
The brand new African Studies research centre building at @unibayreuth.bsky.social looks very good in autumnal colours
October 23, 2025 at 2:35 PM
The brand new African Studies research centre building at @unibayreuth.bsky.social looks very good in autumnal colours
Arrived in Bayreuth - no delays, so 9 hours door to door (for me - my travelling companion had 2.5 hours delay from the Netherlands)
October 22, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Arrived in Bayreuth - no delays, so 9 hours door to door (for me - my travelling companion had 2.5 hours delay from the Netherlands)
So far so gezellig!
Step 4: Replacement bus service Nuremberg - Bayreuth (1h 25min)
Step 4: Replacement bus service Nuremberg - Bayreuth (1h 25min)
October 22, 2025 at 2:34 PM
So far so gezellig!
Step 4: Replacement bus service Nuremberg - Bayreuth (1h 25min)
Step 4: Replacement bus service Nuremberg - Bayreuth (1h 25min)
Everything smooth so far - no delays, and a solid 5 hours research time.
But now for the final boss: the replacement bus service
But now for the final boss: the replacement bus service
October 22, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Everything smooth so far - no delays, and a solid 5 hours research time.
But now for the final boss: the replacement bus service
But now for the final boss: the replacement bus service
Step 3: 22 min layover in Frankfurt Hbf to catch ICE from Frankfurt - Nuremberg (2h 2min)
October 22, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Step 3: 22 min layover in Frankfurt Hbf to catch ICE from Frankfurt - Nuremberg (2h 2min)
Lunchtime view of the Kölner Dom
October 22, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Lunchtime view of the Kölner Dom
Liège - Guillemins station architecture appreciation post
October 22, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Liège - Guillemins station architecture appreciation post
Step 2: ICE from Brussels - Frankfurt (3h 6min)
October 22, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Step 2: ICE from Brussels - Frankfurt (3h 6min)
On the way from Gent to Bayreuth to speak at a workshop on Tunen language and indigenous law. May the Deutsche Bahn gods smile upon me 🙏
Step 1: Gent - Brussels Midi
Step 1: Gent - Brussels Midi
October 22, 2025 at 7:28 AM
On the way from Gent to Bayreuth to speak at a workshop on Tunen language and indigenous law. May the Deutsche Bahn gods smile upon me 🙏
Step 1: Gent - Brussels Midi
Step 1: Gent - Brussels Midi
UGent's copy of the Oxford Guide to the Bantu Languages has finally arrived in the library - absolute unit of a book!
October 21, 2025 at 12:14 PM
UGent's copy of the Oxford Guide to the Bantu Languages has finally arrived in the library - absolute unit of a book!
Today, Belgian university employees are called upon to protest against the Arizona government. Nothing against the US state - apparently named because the five component parties of the Belgian Federal government's colours match the (oh-so-well-known) Arizonan flag
October 14, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Today, Belgian university employees are called upon to protest against the Arizona government. Nothing against the US state - apparently named because the five component parties of the Belgian Federal government's colours match the (oh-so-well-known) Arizonan flag
Today in linguistic example sentences:
m̀m'ǎ:bǎ:kɔ̌bá gwa:kɛ́ ḿbǐ:bé bɔkala
"Mum hit me because I stole a doughnut"
(Gunu (Bantu A62, Cameroon); Rekanga 1989:41)
m̀m'ǎ:bǎ:kɔ̌bá gwa:kɛ́ ḿbǐ:bé bɔkala
"Mum hit me because I stole a doughnut"
(Gunu (Bantu A62, Cameroon); Rekanga 1989:41)
September 19, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Today in linguistic example sentences:
m̀m'ǎ:bǎ:kɔ̌bá gwa:kɛ́ ḿbǐ:bé bɔkala
"Mum hit me because I stole a doughnut"
(Gunu (Bantu A62, Cameroon); Rekanga 1989:41)
m̀m'ǎ:bǎ:kɔ̌bá gwa:kɛ́ ḿbǐ:bé bɔkala
"Mum hit me because I stole a doughnut"
(Gunu (Bantu A62, Cameroon); Rekanga 1989:41)
Home home for a couple of days
September 16, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Home home for a couple of days
Looking at the stats reported in the MSCA news articles from the last 5 years - massive increase in number of applicants for the postdoc fellowship, with very small increase in number of funded projects. Applicants this year have much lower odds of success.
September 11, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Looking at the stats reported in the MSCA news articles from the last 5 years - massive increase in number of applicants for the postdoc fellowship, with very small increase in number of funded projects. Applicants this year have much lower odds of success.
POV: you go to the library looking for 2 books
September 10, 2025 at 1:11 PM
POV: you go to the library looking for 2 books