Alex Smith, Junior Principle Investigator
Institute of Modern Languages and Linguistics
Fudan University
Room 1213, Guanghua East Main Building
220 Handan Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai
alexsmith@fudan.edu.cn
Orcid 0000-0003-2510-8555
Education
Ph.D. University of Hawai‘i Linguistics (2017)
M.A. University of North Texas Linguistics (2012)
B.A. University of North Texas English (2010)
Primary Areas of Interest
Phonology and phonological theory, Austronesian and Kra-Dai languages, historical linguistics, fieldwork, documentation, language endangerment.
Academic Employment
2024-Present Junior Principle Investigator. Fudan University.
2022-2024 Senior Research Fellow. The National University of Singapore.
2021-2022 Lecturer. The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
2021 Visiting Lecturer. University of California at Davis.
2018-2021 Adjunct Professor. University of North Texas.
2013-2015 Project Coordinator, Endangered Languages Project.
Editorial Service
Editor, PALI Language Texts
Editor, Oceanic Linguistics Special Publications
Review Editor, Oceanic Linguistics.
Editorial Advisory Committee, Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society.
Ongoing Projects and Commitments
计算机辅助比较语言学研究中的同源词检测与计算谱系工具开发, Fudan University “AI +”师生共创智教智学专项计划
Editor, Curator, Content Manager, (with Robert Forkel, Database Manager), The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary, (acd.clld.org)
Contributing Editor, borneodictionary.com
Awards
2020 American Philosophical Society Franklin Research Grant. $4,000
2018 American Philosophical Society Franklin Research Grant. $4,000
2016-17 Bilinski Foundation dissertation fellowship. $37,500
2015a Bilinski Foundation summer research grant. $5,000
2015c Bilinski Foundation pre-dissertation fellowship. $12,500
2014b Bilinski Foundation summer research grant. $5,000
Journal Articles
Articles in review
Linguistic approaches to reconstructing human history and the exodus of Punan from Sarawak, Malaysia. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies.
Accepted articles
Modeling sound change in a dialectically heterogeneous community: The case of rhotacism in central Borneo. Journal of Historical Linguistics.
Late Malayo-Polynesian: A new model of Austronesian linguistic relations. Diachronica.
An update on the Austronesian Comparative Dictionary. Oceanic Linguistics.
Reevaluating two schwa-initial reconstructions in Proto- and pre Proto-Austronesian numerals, with some help from Kra-Dai. Language and Linguistics.
2024
Proto-Austronesian *j once again. Oceanic Linguistics. 63(2): 319–337. doi: 10.1353/ol.2024.a946247
The reality of Rukai Glides. Theoretical Linguistics. 50(3-4): 265–277. doi: 10.1515/tl-2024-2019
Voice and pronominal forms in Kayan (Uma Nyaving). Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society 17(1): 81–104. Permanent Link: hdl.handle.net/10524/52527
2023
The position of Mali, Beaye, and Ba’aje in Land Dayak (Austronesian) and what it means for Proto-Land Dayak vowel reconstruction. Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society 16(2): 1–9. Permanent Link: hdl.handle.net/10524/52512
Evidence and models of linguistic relations: subgroups, linkages, lexical innovations, and Borneo. Oceanic Linguistics 62(2): 324–365. doi: 10.1353/ol.2023.a913564
The binary-foot requirement and word-minimum phenomena in Austronesian languages. Journal of East Asian Linguistics 32: 341–372. doi: 10.1007/s10831-023-09261-x
Some remarks on Sagart’s new evidence for a numeral based phylogeny for Austronesian. Oceanic Linguistics 62(1). doi: 10.1353/ol.2023.0004
Reconstructing non-contrastive stress in Austronesian and the role of the mora in stress-shift, gemination, and vowel shift. Diachronica 40(1): 111–152. doi: 10.1075/dia.20032.smi
2022
Environmental factors affect the evolution of linguistic subgroups in Borneo. Diachronica 39(2): 193–225. doi: 10.1075/dia.20024.smi
2021
The historical phonology of Hliboi: a Bidayuh language of Borneo. Oceanic Linguistics 60(1): 133–159. doi: 10.1353/ol.2021.0004
2020
Nasalization in Enggano historical phonology. Oceanic Linguistics 59(1): 347–365. doi: 10.1353/ol.2020.0015
2019
A second look at Proto-Land Dayak vowels. Oceanic Linguistics 58(1): 110–142. doi: 10.1353/ol.2019.0005
A reconstruction of Proto-Segai-Modang. Oceanic Linguistics 58(2): 353–385. doi: 10.1353/ol.2019.0012
2018
The subgrouping of the languages of Borneo: an overview. Borneo Research Bulletin 48: 330–361.
The Barito linkage hypothesis with a note on the position of Basap. Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society 11(1): 13–34. Permanent Link: hdl.handle.net/10524/52418
2017
Merap historical phonology in the context of a central Bornean linguistic area. Oceanic Linguistics 56(1): 143–180. doi: 10.1353/ol.2017.0006
The Western Malayo-Polynesian problem. Oceanic Linguistics 56(2): 435–489. doi: 10.1353/ol.2017.0021
2015
On the classification of Kenyah and Kayanic languages. Oceanic Linguistics 54(2): 333–357. doi: 10.1353/ol.2015.0016
Penan, Sebop, and Kenyah internal linguistic classification. Borneo Research Bulletin 46: 172–193.
Book Chapters
to appear
(with Charlotte Hemmings, Carly Sommerlot, and Louise Ping Laing) Borneo. In Languages and Linguistics of Island South East Asia and the Pacific, ed. by Ellen Smith-Dennis and Bill Palmer. de Gruyter Mouton.
2024
(with Paul Kroeger) Bornean Linguistic Typology. In The Oxford Guide to the Malayo-Polynesian Languages of Southeast Asia, ed. by K. Alexander Adelaar and Antoinette Schapper. Oxford University Press.
Internal classification of Malayo-Polynesian. In The Oxford Guide to the Malayo-Polynesian Languages of Southeast Asia, ed. by K. Alexander Adelaar and Antoinette Schapper. Oxford University Press.
Historical linguistics and linguistic subgroups in Borneo. In The Oxford Guide to the Malayo-Polynesian Languages of Southeast Asia, ed. by K. Alexander Adelaar and Antoinette Schapper. Oxford University Press.
Onset weight and drift in Austronesian comparative phonology. In Routledge Handbook of Asian Linguistics, ed. by Chris Shei, 207–224. London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003090205
2022
More Austro-Tai comparisons and observations on vowel correspondences. In Papers from the 30th Meeting of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society (2021), ed. by Mark J. Alves and Paul Sidwell, 73–95. JSEALS Special Publication no. 8. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press. Permanent Link: hdl.handle.net/10524/52498
2018
Historical linguistics. In The international encyclopedia of linguistic anthropology, ed. by James
Burushaski. In Language isolates, ed. by Lyle Campbell, 117–138. Routledge Language Family Series. New York: Routledge.
2017
Reconstructing Proto-Kenyah pronouns and the development of a true five number system. In Issues in Austronesian historical linguistics, ed. by Hsiu-chuan Liao, 48–66. JSEALS 10(3), Special Publication no. 1. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press. Permanent Link: hdl.handle.net/10524/56826
2016
Sign language endangerment. In The deaf studies encyclopedia, ed. by Patrick Boudreault, Genie Gertz, and J. Geoffrey Golson. New York: Sage Publishing.
Books
upcoming
The Languages of Borneo: Historical Linguistics and Classification. De Gruyter Mouton.
2025
(with Gerawat Tuan) The Kelabit-English contemporary dictionary.
2014
(with Robert Blust) A bibliography of the languages of Borneo (and Madagascar). Phillips, Maine: Borneo Research Council. (Reviewed by Michael Boutin and Wa ode Nahla Nurhidaya, 2015, Oceanic Linguistics 54(1): 317–322 and by K. Alexander Adelaar, 2015, Bijdragen tot de taal-, land- en volkenkunde 171(4): 566–570.)
Invited reviews
2022
Review of Berez-Kroeker, Andrea L. et al. 2021. The Open Handbook of Linguistic Data Management. Cambridge: The MIT Press. In Glossa 7. doi: 10.16995/glossa.9261
Review of Edwards, Owen. 2021. Rote-Meto Comparative Dictionary. Canberra: Australian National University Press. In Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society 15(1). Permanent Link: hdl.handle.net/10524/52493
2018
Review of Lobel, Jason. 2016. North Borneo sourcebook. Vocabularies and functors. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press. In Oceanic Linguistics 57(1). doi: 10.1353/ol.2018.0011
Archived Materials
2023
Uma Nyaving Kayan Elicitation Sessions. Elicitation sessions on the Uma Nyaving variety of Kayan spoken in Sungai Asap, Sarawak, Malaysia. Funded by the Singapore Ministry of Education under the grant “History and syntax of the languages of Borneo” (MOE-T2EP40121-0003). https://hdl.handle.net/10125/104786
Biatah, Bidayuh Elicitation Sessions. Elicitation sessions on the Biatah variety spoken in Padawan, Kuching District, Sarawak, Malaysia. Funded by the Singapore Ministry of Education under the grant “History and syntax of the languages of Borneo” (MOE-T2EP40121-0003). https://hdl.handle.net/10125/104690
2022
Kenyah Lebo’ Vo’, Long Tikan Elicitations. Elicitation sessions on the Lebo’ Vo’, Long Tikan variety of Kenyah. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/102350
2018
Kayanic Comparative Vocabularies. Comparative vocabularies from 13 Kayanic languages. http://hdl.handle.net/10125/81770
Modang Wahau and Woq Helaq Wordlist. Over 800 lexical items from two endangered Modang languages, recorded in Samarinda, Indonesia. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/70560
2017
(with Katherine Strong) Serau Tet Kanowit. Archive from preliminary fieldwork undertaken in Sarawak, Malaysia on the endangered Kanowit language. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/55865
Teaching
The National University of Singapore.
Field Methods in Linguistics (Undergraduate)
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Linguistic argumentation I (Undergraduate)
Linguistic argumentation II (Undergraduate)
Language survey in the field (Lebo’ Vo’ Kenyah, Undergraduate)
Special topics (Typology. Undergraduate)
Language endangerment and language documentation (Undergraduate)
Research project (Graduate)
Linguistic practicum (Graduate)
University of California at Davis
Historical linguistics (Undergraduate)
University of North Texas
Endangered languages (Undergraduate)
Principles of language study (Undergraduate)
Phonetics and phonology (Undergraduate)
Morphology and syntax (Undergraduate)
Morphology (Undergraduate)
History of English (Undergraduate)
Discovering language data (Undergraduate)
Phonology (Graduate)
Typology (Graduate)
University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
Introduction to the study of language (Undergraduate)
Languages
Spoken Languages
English (fluent), Indonesian (conversational)
Studied Languages (Academic study through field work)
Lebo’ Vo’ Kenyah, Uma’ Pawe Kenyah, Lepo’ Gah Kenyah, Lepo’ Sawa Kenyah, Lepo’ Laang Kenyah, Lepo’ Tau Kenyah, Lepo’ Jalan Kenyah, Badeng Kenyah, Uma’ Baha Kenyah, Ngorek, Long Naah Kayan, Data Dian Kayan, Balui Liko Kayan, Long Beku Penan, Long Jekitan Penan, Long Mubui Penan, Rejang Penan, Sebop, Bario Kelabit, Kelinjau Modang, Long Bentuk Modang, Mei Lan Modang, Long Na Modang, Wahau Modang, Bahau Saq, Busang, Tunjung, Benuaq, Bakumpai, Kapuas, Ngaju, Aoheng (2 varieties), Buket, Paser, Gaai, Kelai, Long Gelat Modang, Lebo’ Basap, Tawoyan (Taboyan), Lahanan, Kajaman, Sekapan, Ukit, Punan Bah, Punan Lisum, Punan Aput, Punan Tubu, Beketan, Seputan, Kanowit, Maanyan, Dusun Witu, Bentian, Kendayan (2 varieties), Ot Danum, Berusu, Merap, Keninjal, Mualang, Ribun, Sanggau, Ambalo, Kalis, Jangkang, Taman, Bekati, Banyadu, Hovongan, Kereho, Golik, Bekati Rara, Simpang, Upper Kapuas Iban, Kantu, Sungkung, Seberuang, Hliboi Bidayuh, Be’ Aye’, Dalat Melanau , Long Bawan Lun Dayeh, Sundanese, Eastern Cham, Tetun, Javanese, Cebuano Bisaya, Biatah Bidayuh, Uma Nyaving Kayan
