Maria Polinsky

June 15-18: 9th Heritage Language Research Institute

• http://nhlrc.ucla.edu/nhlrc/events/institute/2016/home

Heritage languages are learned early in life, either simultaneously with the dominant language or prior to the acquisition of the dominant language of the country. Early childhood bilinguals are often fluent in both languages, their home language and the dominant societal language. Furthermore, both languages influence each other in early childhood bilinguals. Many of such bilinguals grow up to become adult heritage speakers who are typically stronger in the dominant language and whose knowledge of the home language is less strong.

May 31- June 12: Guatemala Field Station

• http://guatemalafieldtrip2016.blogspot.com/
• http://languagescience.umd.edu/news/language-scientists-head-highlands-guatemala

First group trip to the Guatemalan Field Station. Rodrigo Ranero, Chris Baron, Paulina Lyskawa, Gesoel Mendes,Theodore Levin, Omer Preminger and Maria Polinsky, left for Tecpan, Patzun, and Lake Atitlan in Guatemala with Carola Emkow from the Free University of Berlin, and three graduate students from other universities: Emma Bierings (Leiden), Sasha Kozhukhar (HSE Moscow) and Elizaveta Vostokova (HSE Moscow). The group pursued several research projects on the structure of Mayan languages spoken in the area – Kaqchikel, Tzutujil, Mam, and Chuj – while joining ongoing projects on literacy and health led by Wuqu’ Kawoq, an NGO who is a partner in the station.

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