Overview

Our research engages with English Language and Linguistics, focusing on written and spoken English language from medieval times to the present day.

Glasgow has a long-established, international reputation for the historical study of English, linking the best of philological, literary-critical and linguistic traditions with those of contemporary linguistic theory. We are a leading player in contemporary English language and linguistics, using quantitative analysis of large online corpora as well as qualitative research in a variety of genres to identify and interpret language use across a wide range of contemporary spoken and written data.

Glasgow’s historic strengths in the study of Scots and English in Scotland have been enhanced by the recent development of innovative large-scale collaborative projects. Our provision in the area of medieval English Language is closely associated with Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Glasgow, one of the largest concentrations of its kind in the UK. We have strong interdisciplinary research links with other subjects at Glasgow; recent collaborations include Psychology, Computing Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Celtic and Gaelic, and Education, in addition to our traditional links with English and Scottish Literature. Glasgow is one of the world’s leading centres of excellence for Digital Humanities, and many of our projects have a substantial digital element.

Thesis length: 70,000-100,000 words, including references, bibliography and appendices (other than documentary appendices).

A Doctor of Philosophy may be awarded to a student whose thesis is an original work making a significant contribution to knowledge in, or understanding of, a field of study and normally containing material worthy of publication.

Research themes

• English language and linguistics
• Historical English language, literature and medieval studies – including manuscript studies, codicology, textual and editing, literary and gender criticism, historical linguistics
• Contemporary English linguistics, including phonetics and phonology, morphology, semantics, text analysis, sociolinguistics and onomastics
• Scottish language, including written literary Scots, speech in Scotland and translation studies