Research Interests

I have published widely in areas relating to the Māori language and languages spoken by Māori - from aspects of linguistic change, particularly in the phrasal lexicon, through to language revitalization. I am a member of the MAONZE (Māori and New Zealand English) project examining change over time in the pronunciation of Māori.

I lead the Diversity theme at the New Zealand Institute of Language, Brain and Behaviour (NZILBB) at UC where my previous research includes work on non-verbal behaviour of Māori and Pākehā in New Zealand. Another project, entitled Tuhinga Māhorahora, collects and analyses writing by children in Māori immersion schooling in order to provide feedback to teachers about the use of Māori by their students. For more information see: http://www.nzilbb.canterbury.ac.nz/phoneme_acq.shtml

I have also collaboraed with Una Cunningham on a project entitled Intergeneration Transmission of Minority Languages which is investigating some of the factors which increase the likelihood of children in New Zealand being raised as speakers of these languages. For more information see: http://www.nzilbb.canterbury.ac.nz/ITML.html

My current research focusses on the protolexicon of Māori which adult New Zealanders have gained through exposure to the language and how that might be useful when they start to actively learn the language. More information about that project can be found at: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/nzilbb/research/grants/the-proto-lexicon---how-does-it-emerge-and-can-it-be-awakened/