Michael C. Cahill
Contact
7500 W. Camp Wisdom Rd.
Dallas, TX 75236 U.S.A.
email:
Degrees
- Ph.D., Linguistics, Ohio State University, 1999
- M.A., Linguistics, University of Texas-Arlington, 1985
- B.S., Biochemistry, Iowa State University, 1977
Current positions
- Reviewer for Linguistic Discovery (2005– )
- International Linguistics Coordinator, SIL (1999– )
- Adjunct Assistant Professor of Linguistics, University of Texas at Arlington (2000– )
- Adjunct Associate Professor of Language Development, (GIAL) Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics (2000– )
- Reviewer for Phonology (2002– )
- Reviewer for Journal of West African Linguistics (1998– )
Other experience
- Chair: (LSA) Committee on Endangered Languages and their Preservation (2003)
- Member: (LSA) Committee on Endangered Languages and their Preservation (2001-2003)
- Linguistics teaching:
- Phonetics [AL4302] instructor, GIAL (Fall 2000); Advanced Phonology [AL5396] (Spring 2000);
- Introductory Linguistics [Ling. 201], Ohio State University (six quarters-1995-1998)
- Field Methods, TXSIL [one semester course head] (1993-1994) )
- Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy, and Bible Translation [GILLBT] (1983-1993):
- Acting Director (3 months 1993)
- Associate Director for Language Projects (1992-1993)
- GILLBT Linguistics Coordinator (1989-1992)
- Fieldwork in Koma language, Ghana, (some literacy/translation)
- Deputy director (1985-1986)
- Business manager (1983-1984)
- High School teacher (chemistry/physics/math) Newell, Iowa (1977-1982)
- President, Newell-Providence Education Association (1981-1982)
Memberships
- Linguistic Society of America
- West African Linguistic Society
- Phi Kappa Phi life member
Research interests
- African languages
- Phonology (tone, ATR vowel harmony, Feature Geometry, Optimality Theory)
- Tone universals
- Historical linguistics
- Labialvelar stops (phonetics, phonology, historical development)
Selected publications
Publications in SIL International Bibliography
2004. “Tonal Polarity in Konni Nouns.” Studies in African Linguistics 33.1:1-33.
2000/2001. “Noun Classes and Phonology in Konni.” Journal of West African Languages XXVII.1:49-69.
2000. “Tonal associative morphemes in optimality theory.” OSU Working Papers in Linguistics 53: 31-70.
1999. “Aspects of the phonology of labial-velar stops.” Studies in African Languages 28.2: 155-184.
1999. “Diphthongization in Konni: A feature geometry account.” Journal of African Languages and Linguistics 20:21-39.
1999. “Triple splits from Proto-Buli-Konni.” OSU Working Papers in Linguistics 52: Historical Linguistics, pp. 41-50.
1998. “Tonal Polarity in Konni Nouns: An optimal theoretical account.” OSU Working Papers in Linguistics 51:19-58.
1997. (With Frederick Parkinson). “Partial class behavior and feature geometry: Remarks on feature class theory.” Proceedings of NELS 27.
1992. “A preliminary phonology of the Konni language.” Collected Field Notes Series No. 20. The Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon.
1992. “The case of the missing Konni [p].” Journal of West African Languages XXI, 1:15-24.
Selected papers presented
2002a. “Text Collection: One Task, Many Benefits.” Paper presented at LSA Symposium on Documenting Languages, San Francisco.
2002. “Dissimilation of /r/ in Konni.” Paper presented at LSA Annual Meeting, San Francisco.
2001. “The unusual tonal system of Awad Bing.” Paper presented at LSA Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.
2001. (with John Hajek). “Why [kp]?” Paper presented at LSA Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.
2001. “Where do labialvelars go?” (with John Hajek). Paper presented at 32nd ACAL, Berkeley.
2001. “When epenthesis is not epenthesis: [r] in Konni.” Paper presented at 32nd ACAL, Berkeley.
2000. “Tonal diversity in languages of Papua New Guinea.” Paper presented at Tone and Pitch Accent conference, Tromsø, Norway.
1998. “Tonal associative morphemes in optimality theory.” Paper presented at the Linguistic Association of America, New York City.