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Cambridge Language Sciences

Interdisciplinary Research Centre
 

Bert Vaux

Research

I am primarily interested in phenomena that shed light on the structure and origins of the phonological component of grammar, especially in the realms of psychophonology (language games, speech errors, acquisition of first, second, and toy languages, development of writing systems), historical linguistics (sound change, reconstruction, evolution of language, Indo-European, Altaic, and Northwest Caucasian languages), and sociolinguistics (dialectology, microvariation, and nanovariation). I also enjoy working with native speakers to document endangered languages, especially dialects of Armenian, Abkhaz, and English.

Publications

Key publications: 

Vaux, B. (forthcoming) The Armenian dialect of New Julfa, Isfahan. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Vaux, B. and Nevins, A. (2008). Rules and Constraints in Contemporary Phonological Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Vaux, B., Cooper, J. and Tucker, E. (2006). Linguistic Field Methods. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers.

Vaux, B. (1998). The Phonology of Armenian. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Vaux, B. (1998). The Laryngeal Specifications of Fricatives. Linguistic Inquiry 29.3:497-512.

Publications (from Symplectic)

Journal articles

2023

  • Andersson, S. and Vaux, B., 2023. Cwyzhy Abkhaz Journal of the International Phonetic Association, v. 53
    Doi: 10.1017/S0025100320000390
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  • Burridge, J. and Vaux, B., 2023. Low dimensional measurement of vowels using machine perception. J Acoust Soc Am, v. 153
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1121/10.0016845
    •

    2022

  • Samuels, BD., Andersson, S., Sayeed, O. and Vaux, B., 2022. Getting ready for primetime: Paths to acquiring substance-free phonology Canadian Journal of Linguistics, v. 67
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/cnj.2022.9
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    2020

  • Burridge, J. and Vaux, B., 2020. Brownian dynamics for the vowel sounds of human language Physical Review Research, v. 2
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.2.013274
    •

    2019 (Accepted for publication)

  • Burridge, J., Blaxter, T. and Vaux, B., 2019 (Accepted for publication). Evolutionary paths of language EPL (Europhysics Letters), v. 128
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075/128/28003
    •
  • Burridge, J., Vaux, B., Gnacik, M. and Grudeva, Y., 2019 (Accepted for publication). Statistical physics of language maps in the USA Physical Review E, v. 99
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.99.032305
    •

    2015

  • Vaux, B. and Samuels, B., 2015. Explaining vowel systems: Dispersion theory vs natural selection Linguistic Review, v. 32
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1515/tlr-2014-0028
    •

    2012

  • Johannessen, JB. and Vaux, B., 2012. Retroflex variation and methodological issues: A reply to Simonsen, Moen, and Cowen (2008) Journal of Phonetics,
    •

    2006

  • Vaux, B. and Nevins, A., 2006. The Role of Contrast in Locality: Transparent Palatal Glides in Kyrghyz MIT Working Papers in Linguistics, v. 52
    •

    2005

  • Vaux, B. and Samuels, B., 2005. Laryngeal markedness and aspiration Phonology, v. 22
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/S0952675705000667
    •

    2003

  • Vaux, B., 2003. Syllabification in Armenian, universal grammar, and the lexicon LINGUIST INQ, v. 34
    •

    2001

  • Vaux, B., 2001. The Armenian Dialect of Aslanbeg Annual of Armenian Linguistics, v. 21
    •

    2000

  • Halle, M., Vaux, B. and Wolfe, A., 2000. On feature spreading and the representation of place of articulation LINGUIST INQ, v. 31
    •

    1999

  • Vaux, B., 1999. Notes on the Armenian Dialect of Ayntab Annual of Armenian Linguistics, v. 20
    •

    1998

  • Vaux, B., 1998. The laryngeal specifications of fricatives LINGUIST INQ, v. 29
    •

    1996

  • Vaux, B., La Porta, S. and Tucker, E., 1996. Ethnographic Materials from the Muslim Hemshinli with Linguistic Notes Annual of Armenian Linguistics, v. 17
    •
  • Vaux, B., 1996. The status of ATR in feature geometry LINGUIST INQ, v. 27
    •

    1993

  • Vaux, B., 1993. Coronal Fronting in the Akn Dialect of Armenian Annual of Armenian Linguistics, v. 14
    •

    1992

  • VAUX, B., 1992. GEMINATION AND SYLLABIC INTEGRITY IN SANSKRIT J INDO-EUR STUD, v. 20
    •
    Book chapters

    2023

  • Vaux, B. and Miller, B., 2023. On the atoms of phonological representation
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198791126.003.0002
    •

    2020

  • Ahmed, SK., Andersson, S. and Vaux, B., 2020. English phonology and morphology
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1002/9781119540618.ch18
    •

    2018 (No publication date)

  • Vaux, B., Sayeed, O. and Andersson, S., 2018 (No publication date). Regularity and lexical diffusion in phonological change
  • Vaux, B. and Miller, B., 2018 (No publication date). The atoms of phonological representation
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.70755
    •

    2018

  • Perry, JJ. and Vaux, B., 2018. Vedic Sanskrit accentuation and readjustment rules
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1515/9781501506734-009
    •
  • Vaux, B. and Samuels, B., 2018. Abstract underlying representations in phonological theory
  • Vaux, B. and Perry, JJ., 2018. Vedic Sanskrit accentuation and readjustment rules
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1515/9781501506734-009
    •

    2017 (Published online)

  • Andersson, S., Sayeed, O. and Vaux, B., 2017 (Published online). The Phonology of Language Contact
    Doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199935345.013.55
    •

    2017

  • Vaux, B. and Myler, N., 2017. Issues and prospects in rule-based phonology
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315675428
    •
  • Vaux, B. and Samuels, BD., 2017. Consonant Epenthesis and Markedness
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1075/la.241.04vau
    •
  • Vaux, B. and Sayeed, O., 2017. The evolution of Armenian
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1515/9783110523874-021
    •

    2016

  • Vaux, B., Myler, N. and Miller, B., 2016. Phonology in Universal Grammar
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199573776.013.8
    •

    2013

  • Vaux, B., 2013. The Armenian dialect of Khodorchur

    • 2012

  • Vaux, B., 2012. The Armenian dialect of Smyrna/Izmir

    • 2011

  • Vaux, B., 2011. Language games and speech disguises
  • Vaux, B. and Miller, B., 2011. The representation of fricatives
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1111/b.9781405184236.2011.x
    •
  • Vaux, B., 2011. Language Games
    Doi: 10.1002/9781444343069.ch22
    •
  • Vaux, B. and Myler, N., 2011. Meter is music
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199553426.003.0005
    •

    2009

  • Vaux, B., 2009. The role of features in a symbolic theory of phonology
  • Vaux, B., 2009. Feature analysis
  • Vaux, B., 2009. Feature analysis.
  • Vaux, B., 2009. The role of features in a symbolic theory of phonology

    • 2008

  • Vaux, B., 2008. Why the Phonological Component must be Serial and Rule-Based 1
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199226511.003.0002
    •
  • Vaux, B., 2008. Armenian
  • Vaux, B., 2008. Zok: The Armenian dialect of Agulis
  • Vaux, B., 2008. Why the phonological component must be serial and rule-based
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199226511.001.0001
    •

    2007

  • Vaux, B. and Nevins, A., 2007. Underlying representations that do not minimize grammatical violations

    • 2006

  • Vaux, B., 2006. Armenian
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1016/B0-08-044854-2/02158-1
    •
  • Vaux, B., 2006. Homshetsma: The language of the Armenians of Hamshen
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.4324/9780203641682
    •

    2002

  • Vaux, B., 2002. Szemerényi's Law and Stang's Law in Non-Linear Phonology

    • 1995

  • Vaux, B., 1995. A Problem in Diachronic Armenian Verbal Morphology
    • Books

    2018 (No publication date)

  • Vaux, B., 2018 (No publication date). The Armenian dialect of New Julfa, Isfahan

    • 2016

  • Gordon, M., 2016. Phonological Typology

    • 2015

  • Saltmarsh, J., 2015. King’s College Chapel: A History and Commentary

    • 2011

  • Vaux, B., 2011. Language games
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1002/9781444343069
    •

    2008

  • Nevins, A. and Vaux, B., 2008. Introduction: The Division of Labor between Rules, Representations, and Constraints in Phonological Theory 1
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199226511.003.0001
    •
  • Vaux, B. and Nevins, A., 2008. Rules, constraints, and phonological phenomena
    Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199226511.001.0001
    •

    2007

  • Vaux, B., 2007. Linguistic Field Methods
    • Professor of Phonology and Morphology
    Fellow in Linguistics, King's College
    Departments and institutes: 
    Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics
    Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics
    Language Technology Lab @ University of Cambridge

    Contact Details

    X11 King's College
    Cambridge
    CB2 1ST
    Email address: 
    bv230@cam.ac.uk
    (+44) (0)1223 331649
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