Contact Info
Sigrid_Lew@diu.eduCurriculum Vitae
Language Proficiency
German: Mother tongue
English: Very good
Thai: Reasonable
Educational history
1983-88
MA course work, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany. Major: General Linguistics. 1st Minor: Phonetics. 2nd minor: Historical Linguistics.
1993
PhD general linguistics, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany. Dissertation topic ‘Die Entwicklung der Funktionsweise des Lautsystems im frühen monolingualen Spracherwerb’ [The functional development of the sound system in early monolingual language acquisition].
1994
Cultural studies & missiology certificate, All Nations Christian College, England.
1994
Literacy certificate course, SIL Germany.
1996
Thai language study, ULS Bangkok, Thailand.
Positions
1989-1993
Full time research assistant for project on child language acquisition sponsored by German Research Council. English department, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany.
1998 to present:
Phonetics and phonology consultant, SIL, Mainland Southeast Asia Group.
1998-2002
Language learning consultant, SIL, Mainland Southeast Asia Group.
1998-2020
Instructor, Graduate linguistics department, Payap University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
1999-2002
Department head, Graduate linguistics department, Payap University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
2000 to present:
Orthography consultant, SIL, Mainland Southeast Asia Group.
2012-2014
Research coordinator, Linguistics Institute, Payap University, Chiang Mai.
2015 to present:
Phonetics, phonology, orthography consultant, SIL International, Asia Area.
2015
Organizing committee 25th annual meeting of the Southeast Asian Linguistic Society at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
2015 to present:
Managing Editor for the Journal of the Southeast Linguistics Society.
2016-2020
Academic Publishing Coordinator, SIL, Mainland Southeast Asia Group.
2021 to present:
Adjunct instructor, Applied Linguistics Department, Dallas International University, Dallas TX.
2022 to present:
Organizing committee for Student conference DIAL (Dallas International Academic Lens)
2023
Certificate in Applied Linguistics program coordinator, Dallas International University, Dallas TX.
Field expertise
Phonetics
1996
Phonetics consulting and wordlist transcription for Phu Noi (Bisoid, Tibeto-Burman), Laos.
1999
Para Naga (Tibeto-Burman) phonetics consulting.
2000
Phonetic transcription of Burmic and Karenic survey data.
2008
Phonetics consulting on Bunong (Bahnaric, Austroasiatic), Cambodia.
2013
Phonetics consulting on Louma Oeshi (Akha-Hani, Tibeto-Burman), Laos.
2014-2016
With James Gruber: Acoustic research on Louma Oeshi (Akha-Hani, Tibeto-Burman) Voice Quality Distinctions (Payap University Research Grant 2557/04-18 US$3,000).
Phonology
1993
Consulting on Ayta phonology and morphology in Luzon/Philippines.
2006
Phonology consulting on Pwo Karen (Tibeto-Burman), Thailand.
2007
Phonological analysis of Laingtu Chin (Tibeto-Burman), Myanmar.
Phonology consulting on Dimawso Kayan (Karenic, Tibeto-Burman), Myanmar.
2012
Phonological analysis of Louma Oeshi (Akha-Hani, Tibeto-Burman), Laos;
Phonology consulting for TaOy (Katuic, Austroasiatic), Laos.
2013
Phonetics and phonology consulting for Jaijarai (Naga, Tibeto-Burman), Myanmar.
2014
Phonology consulting for Kriang (Katuic, Austroasiatic), Laos.
2018
Phonology consulting for Senthang Chin (Tibeto-Burman), Myanmar;
Research on phonetics and phonology of Kangan Kayan (Karenic, Tibeto-Burman), Myanmar.
2019
Research on tonal variation in Bisu (Southern Lolo/Ngwi, Tibeto-Burman), Thailand.
Phonology consulting on Mok (Palaungic, Austro-Asiatic);
Preliminary research on grammatical tone in Louma Oeshi (Akha-Hani, Tibeto-Burman).
Orthography
Latin-based:
1999, 2016:
Para Naga/Jejara (Tibeto-Burman), Myanmar.
2007
Laitu Chin (Tibeto-Burman), Myanmar.
2014
Phonology and Latin-based orthography consulting for Pyen (Bisoid, Tibeto-Burman), Myanmar.
Brahmi-based:
2012
Development of Lao-script based orthography for Louma Oeshi (Akha-Hani, Tibeto-Burman), Laos.
Lao-script based Tai Dam orthography consulting.
2013
Describing Lao phonology and orthography for World Bank project.
Phonology and Khmer-based orthography consulting for Jarai (Chamic, Austronesian), Cambodia.
2015
Phonology and Thai-based orthography consulting in Eastern Lawa (Palaungic, Austroasiatic), Thailand.
2016
Orthography consulting on Khmer-based Bunong (Cambodia).
2017
Development of early readers literacy materials (flash cards, letter blocks) in Lao script under the American Research Institutes.
Teaching experience
Undergraduate level:
SIL Germany:
1987, 1988, 1994-95
Articulatory phonetics
1994-95
Language learning methods
Payap University, Chiang Mai:
2002, 2008
Introduction to linguistics
Dallas International University, Dallas, TX:
2021 to present
Principles of articulatory and acoustic phonetics
Graduate Level:
Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Germany:
1989, 1990-91
Linguistic field methods
Payap University, Chiang Mai, Thailand:
1999, 2006-08, 2013-15
Articulatory phonetics
1996, 1999, 2000
Semantics
1997, 1999, 2001, 2004
Linguistic principles of translation
2000
Seminar in Translation
2010, 2015-19
Directed readings in linguistics
2015-19
Selected topics in linguistic (phonology and translation studies in Tibeto-Burman languages)
Workshop experience
2018
Speaker/mentor at the workshop ‘Academic Writing: Creating internationally publishable manuscripts’. Hosted by the Graduate Linguistics Department, Payap University, Chiang Mai, September 5.
2018
Guest speaker and mentor at the Academic Writing Workshop ‘What makes a good article publishable in international journals’, hosted by the Research and Publication Unit, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, May 24-25.
2014
Assist Black Lahu and Sgaw Karen speakers in Orthography Development Workshop in Chiang Mai, hosted by Foundation of Applied Linguistics under the Office of Basic Education, Ministry of Education, March 17-24.
2012
Assist with phonology and orthography consulting for Kado speakers (Katuic, Austrasisatic) at SIL Literacy Workshop for Katuic languages in Muk Dahaan, Thailand.
1999
Teach Karenic orthography workshop in Yangon, hosted by Karen Baptist Church, Myanmar.
1997
Develop curriculum and teach Language Development Workshop ‘Discover your language’ (cultural key terms, semantics, grammar) for speakers of minority languages in Laos. Hosted by the Applied Linguistics Training Program at Payap University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Publications
2022. A Preliminary phonology and Latin-based orthography of Para Naga (Jejara), Northwest Myanmar. Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society 15(2), i-xxiii http://handle.net/10524/52505
2019. Proposing a facilitated participatory approach for Southeast Asian minority language orthography design. Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society 12(1), ixvii-ixxv http://hdl.handle.net/10524/52451
2017. Ikeda, Elissa A. & Sigrid Lew: The Case for Alveolar Fricative Rhotics with Evidence from Nusu. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 40.1, 1-37. doi:10.1075/ltba.40.1.01ike
2016. With James F. Gruber. An acoustic analysis of Louma Oeshi phonation. Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America 1, Article 33:1-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.3765/plsa.v1i0.3740
2015. Ikeda, Elissa A. & Lew, Sigrid. Fricative Rhotics in Nusu. Proceedings of the 18th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, 10-14. August 2015, SECC Glasgow, Scotland, UK. http://www.icphs2015.info/pdfs/proceedings.html
2014. A linguistic analysis of the Lao writing system and its suitability or minority language orthographies. Writing Systems Research, 6(1), 25-40. doi:10.1080/17586801.2013.846843
2013. Tebow, Thomas C. II & Sigrid Lew. A phonological description of Western Bru, Sakon Nakhon variety, Thailand. Mon-Khmer Studies Journal 42, 127-139.
mksjournal.org/mks42tebow.pdf
Unpublished manuscripts
2018. With James F. Gruber. An acoustic analysis of Louma Oeshi voice quality distinctions. Research report #382. Chiang Mai: Office of Research and Academic Service, Payap University. 145 pages.
2013. Louma Uishui – Sounds and script. Unpublished consultancy report. Chiang Mai: Linguistics Institute, Payap University.
Conference presentations
2019. Phonology-friendly but reader-hostile? Pros and cons of Brahmi-based orthographies. Oral presentation at ORTHO19 hosted by SIL International, 12.-17. September 2019, Chiang Mai.
2019. Achieving linguistic resilience in hierarchical societies – reflections on facilitated participatory methods. Oral presentation at ORTHO19 hosted by SIL International, 12.-17. September 2019, Chiang Mai.
2019. Gustafson, Kari, and Sigrid Lew. Grammaticalization of tone in Bisu. Oral presentation at the 29th Annual Meeting of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society, 27-29 May 2019, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Tokyo, Japan.
2018. Preliminary phonology of Dimawso Kayan, Myanmar. Oral presentation at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society, 17-19 May 2018, Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
2016. Gruber, James F., and Lew, Sigrid. Interaction of pitch and phonation in Louma Oeshi. Oral presentation by J. F. Gruber at the 171st meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, 23-27 May 2016, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
2016. A phonological comparison of Oeshi and Louma, Akha–related languages in Laos. Oral presentation at the 26th Annual Meeting of the Southeast Asian Linguistic Society, 26-28 May 2016, Department of Linguistics, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Manila, Philippines.
2016. Lew, Sigrid, and Gruber, James F. An acoustic analysis of Louma Oeshi phonation. Poster presented by J. F. Gruber at the 90th Annual meeting of the Linguistic Society of America (LSA), January 7-10, 2016, Washington DC, USA.
2015. Ikeda, Elissa A. and Lew, Sigrid. Alveolar Fricative Rhotics in Nusu. Poster presented at the 18th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, 10-14 August 2015, Glasgow, UK.
2014. The phonetic realization of voice quality in Louma Uishui. Oral presentation at the 24th Annual Meeting of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society, 28-31 May 2014, Yangon, Myanmar.
2012. Cooper, Beau, Cooper, Lisa and Lew, Sigrid. A phonetic description of Burmese obstruents. Oral presentation at the 45th International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics, 26-28 October 2012, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
2012. Ikeda, Elissa A and Lew, Sigrid. Phonation and tone in Nusu. Oral presentation at the 45th International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics (ICSTLL), 26-28 October, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
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