20112024

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Biography

I’m a linguist based at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. My research centres on the sociolinguistics of multilingualism, encompassing work on multilingual practices, language variation and change, migration and language in the classroom. I feel strongly about the importance of interpreting linguistic research for diverse audiences and bringing it to bear in useful ways on contemporary social issues. At its core, my research work seeks to understand how and why multilingual and multilectal speakers draw on their different linguistic resources to express their place in the world. I explore this across several interconnected focuses:

  • (small-scale) multilingualism, multilingual repertoires + language ideologies
  • critical sociolinguistics and language rights
  • the languages and linguistics of Aboriginal Australia
  • heritage language identities, especially the Celtic languages
  • language in the classroom; linguistics for high-school students

I am currently engaged in fieldwork and community language support in the linguistically diverse and highly multilingual region of Arnhem Land, northern Australia. Recent projects include an ELDP-funded documentation of the Burarra language (Maningrida region – archival deposit here) and collaborative work with community organisations to record artists’ narratives and procedural texts in local Aboriginal languages.

I enjoy making linguistics accessible and interesting for diverse audiences, including school students, minority language speakers and the general public. I am co-founder of the award-winning Linguistics Roadshow – an interactive showcase about the science of language for high-school students – and have extensive experience working with schools and Indigenous community institutions in Arnhem Land and north-west Victoria. I have contributed many non-academic publications about languages and linguistics, including articles for The Conversation and language and culture resources for school curricula and Indigenous art exhibitions.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities

Research area keywords

  • Linguistics
  • Australian Aboriginal languages
  • Sociolinguistics
  • Multilingualism
  • Migration
  • Language Change and Variation
  • Language and Identity
  • Linguistic Anthropology
  • Ethnography
  • Language Documentation
  • Ethical Research
  • Heritage Languages
  • Celtic Languages

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
  • Sociolinguistic research into Indigenous languages of Australia

    Vaughan, J., Singer, R. & Wigglesworth, G., 2024, The Routledge Handbook of Sociolinguistics Around the World. Ball, M. J. & Meluzzi, C. (eds.). 2nd ed. Abingdon UK: Routledge, p. 312-322 11 p.

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (Book)Researchpeer-review

    1 Citation (Scopus)
  • The Linguistics Roadshow

    Jepson, K., Billington, R. & Vaughan, J., 2024, (Accepted/In press) In: Linguistics Vanguard. 13 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

    Open Access
  • Burarra

    Vaughan, J., 2023, Paris : ILARA (Institute for Linguistic Heritage and Diversity).

    Research output: Other contributionOther

  • GramAdapt Social Contact Dataset

    Kashima, E., Di Garbo, F., Raatikainen, O., Rosnátaly, A., Beck, S., Berge, A., Blanco, A., Bowden, R., Brid, N., Brincat, J. M., Carpio, M. B., Cobbinah, A., Cúneo, P., Fehn, A. M., Gholami, S., Arun, G., Gibson, H., Hall, E., Hannß, K. & Haynie, H. J. & 28 others, Jacka, J., Jenny, M., Kicengge, C., Kowalik, R., Kulkarni-Joshi, S., Mous, M., Mendoza, M., Messineo, C., Moro, F., Nater, H., Ocasio, M., Olsson, B., Ana María, O.-B., Paredes, A., Phiri, A., Quint, N., Sandman, E., Schokkin, D., Singer, R., Smith-Dennis, E., Souag, L., Sulistyono, Y., Treis, Y., Urban, M., Vaughan, J., Wotango Doyiso, D., Ziegelmeyer, G. & Zikmundová, V., 2023, Zenodo.

    Research output: Other contributionOther

    Open Access
  • Language naming in Indigenous Australia: a view from western Arnhem Land

    Vaughan, J., Singer, R. & Garde, M., 2023, In: Multilingua. 42, 1, p. 83-118 36 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

    Open Access
    File
    5 Citations (Scopus)
  • Talkley Award

    Vaughan, J. (Recipient), Billington, R. (Recipient) & Jepson, K. (Recipient), 2016

    Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)