Academics & Research

A research team, focused on using lexicostatistic and general linguistic methods in fields where the affirmative results of such an approach has already been demonstrated or should be demonstrated, has already been formed at the Department of General Linguistics FF UP. Under the supervision of Professors Jan Andres and Jan Kořenský, analyses of the occurrence of the Menzerath-Altmann law in texts are elaborated. Within this context the hypothesis of language/text fractality is being verified. The department team is developing the contribution of Dr. Luděk Hřebíček into a theory of language/text fractality, in line with current trends in cooperation with the Universities of Trier and Bochum. Most importantly, it is interested in verifying newly-formulated hypotheses.

Additional teams in the department are carrying out research work in the following fields of interest: verifying the Menzerath-Altmann law, biosemiotics (a grammatical description of DNA), critical discourse analysis of Radio Free Europe, reflection of semiotic theories in fiction, children’s speech and its development.

The Department of General Linguistics FF UP has successfully obtained two ESF grants Inovace studia obecné jazykovědy a teorie komunikace ve spolupráci s přírodními vědami (Innovation of the study of general linguistics and theory of communication in cooperation with the natural sciences) CZ.1.07/2.2.00/28.0076 which began in the year of 2011 and Lingvistická a lexikostatistická analýza ve spolupráci lingvistiky, matematiky, biologie a psychologie (Linguistic and lexicostatistic analysis in cooperation with linguistics, mathematics, biology and psychology) CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0161, which was initiated in the year 2012.

The common aim of both projects is to strengthen the teaching content and the current state of linguistic and other cooperating disciplines, and thus incorporate the activities of the Department of General Linguistics into the international scientific and research network.

Apart from traditional studies, there are a wide range of activities open to students: research fellowships in CR (The Institute of the Czech Language and the Institute of Psychology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Charles University) and abroad (the University in Tartu, Belgrade, Trier, Budapest, Heidelberg) research possibilities (mathematical linguistics, psycholinguistics, biosemiotics etc.) sharing in and cooperating in creating entries for the on-line linguistics encyclopedia.