Geraldine Walther

Assistant Professor

Computational Linguistics, Linguistic Typology, Language and cognition, Morphology, Language documentation

Géraldine Walther's research interests lie at the intersection between computational linguistics, linguistic typology, and cognitive science. She is investigating in the degree of internal cohesion within linguistic systems, which she researches using computational and quantitative methodologies applied to original data. The data is often directly collected as part of original language documentation enterprises. Her approach focuses specifically on system-level patterns of linguistic sub-organisation and their consequences for cognitive processing and development, as well as for diachronic change.

Before joining GMU in August 2019, Géraldine Walther was a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Comparative Linguistics at the University of Zurich, where she worked on an SNF research project investigating the relationship between properties of adult language structure and child language acquisition in the Romansch variety of Tuatschin (spoken by approx. 1500 speakers in the Grisons, Switzerland).

She obtained her PhD from the Université Paris Diderot in 2013.
(Thesis title: Sur la canonicité en morphologie: perspective empirique, formelle et computationnelle [On canonicity in morphology: an empirical, formal, and computational approach])

Géraldine Walther is currently developing the new computational linguistics strand within the Linguistics curriculum and setting up the new Computational Linguistics lab.

Attention students: I am regularly looking for research assistants. If you have an interest and some expertise in applying computational methods to linguistic patterns, get in touch!

Courses Taught

Number	Title	Term
LING 686	Computational Linguistics	Fall 2019, 2020
LING 686	Computational Typology	Spring 2020
LING 786	Syntax 1	Spring 2020, 2021
LING 787	Syntax 2	Fall 2019
LING 886	Advanced Syntax Seminar	Fall 2020
LING 890	Advanced Phonology Seminar	Fall 2020
LING 898	Advanced Qualifying Seminar	Spring 2021
HNRS 360/361	Multidisciplinary Topics/Practicum: "The way we speak"	Fall 2021

Education

2013	Doctorate in Linguistics	Université Paris Diderot
2007	MA in Linguistics	INALCO Paris
2006	Agrégation externe d’allemand
2004	BA in Linguistics	Université Lumière Lyon 2
2004	BA in German Studies	Université Lumière Lyon 2 & ENS de Lyon
2003-2007	École Normale Supérieure	ENS de Lyon