Marian Klamer receives NWO Vici-grant
Linguist Marian Klamer, associated with Leiden University Centre for Linguistics, is one of the 31 scientists to receive a NWO Vici-grant for her researchproject 'Language as a time machine'.
Language as a time machine
Languages develop in two ways: they inherit words and structures from a proto-language, or they borrow from neighbouring languages. The difference between these processes is often difficult to determine because neighbouring languages usually have the same proto-language. This research will describe the difference between borrowing and inheriting through the study of a unique language area in eastern Indonesia where borrowing between languages that are not related to each other occurs. This will provide information about the evolution of language in general, and about the history of the speakers in that region in particular.
Vici-grant
Klamer is one of the 31 scientists to receive 1,5 million euros to do research and build up a research group over the next five years. There is one other scientist, physicist John van Noort, from Leiden who has received the Vici-grant.
Vici is one of the researcher-specific types of funding from Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) to encourage scientific talent and is awarded each year. It is a boost for the Vici researchers and creates opportunities for a large number of young researchers who will work in the research groups of the Vici laureates. The researchers are free to choose the subject of their research.