Hello! My name is Marina, and I use they/them pronouns.
My main area of linguistic interest is sociolinguistics, particularly lavender linguistics and CMC, which I hope to pursue at doctoral level. In the past I have done work on creole linguistics, language and gender, and language policy. My MA thesis focussed specifically on decreolisation in Martinican Creole, and whether speakers had a perceptual preference for forms adopted into the language from French.
Outside of sociolinguistics, I am also interested in multimodality, as well as doing field work on understudied languages – in addition to the creole mentioned above, I have also done work on Fijian. I have a strong background in theoretical linguistics, and am interested in pragmatics. This especially includes relevance theory, and the debate around whether words have concepts.
When I am not doing linguistics, I enjoy watching and practising theatre (whether on the stage or back of house), reading modern literature, writing short stories and plays, making cocktails, and travelling.
Here is a copy of my CV. Please scroll down to find highlights of my work, as well as a way of contacting me.
Queen Mary, University of London | September 2015 – September 2017
MA Linguistics, Distinction
University College London | September 2010 – June 2014
BA Linguistics (International Programme), First Class Honours
Included an exchange year at Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany
(2018, August) Decreolisation in Martinican creole: a perceptual study. Poster presentation given at the SCL 22nd Biennial Conference, Heredia, Costa Rica. PDF
If you would like to send me an email, you can do so on m.j.merryweather@hss15.qmul.ac.uk
I can also be found on Twitter - @MJMerryweather
I am always looking for like-minded linguists to add to my network!