{"id":2155,"date":"2025-10-27T10:59:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T09:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/?p=2155"},"modified":"2025-10-27T11:50:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T10:50:28","slug":"newly-funded-rj-program-unexplored-linguistic-phenomena-mapping-and-documenting-the-frontiers-of-human-language-ability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/2025\/10\/27\/newly-funded-rj-program-unexplored-linguistic-phenomena-mapping-and-documenting-the-frontiers-of-human-language-ability\/","title":{"rendered":"Newly funded RJ program: Unexplored Linguistic Phenomena: Mapping and Documenting the Frontiers of Human Language Ability"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-264fe511 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--small);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--small);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--x-small)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><div class=\"wpcp-wp-lightbox-host wpcp-advanced-image-lightbox-icon-hover\"><a class=\"wpcp-wp-lightbox-image-link\" href=\"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Harald-3.jpg\" data-wpcp-wp-lb-image=\"1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Harald-3.jpg\" alt=\"Harald Hammarstr\u00f6m\" class=\"wp-image-332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Harald-3.jpg 480w, https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Harald-3-240x300.jpg 240w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Harald-3.jpg\" data-fancybox=\"wpcp-wp-img-332\" class=\"wpcp-lightbox-trigger wpcp-advanced-image-lightbox-icon wpcp-position-top-right wpcp-advanced-image-lightbox-icon-hover wpcp-global-lightbox-icon wpcp-lightbox-icon--global wpcp-lb-icon-style-default\" data-wpcp-lb-icon-source=\"global\" aria-label=\"Open image in lightbox\" data-thumb-src=\"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Harald-3-240x300.jpg\" data-wpcp-lb-single=\"1\"><span class=\"wpcp-icon-container\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><path d=\"M17.6585 16.025L14.2437 12.6198C15.1716 11.3338 15.6121 9.7613 15.4871 8.1819C15.362 6.60251 14.6795 5.11847 13.5607 3.99351C12.936 3.36206 12.1916 2.86066 11.3709 2.51845C10.5502 2.17623 9.66952 2 8.77995 2C7.89039 2 7.00969 2.17623 6.18899 2.51845C5.36829 2.86066 4.62395 3.36206 3.99919 3.99351C3.36594 4.61649 2.86312 5.35871 2.51992 6.17708C2.17673 6.99545 2 7.87365 2 8.76068C2 9.64772 2.17673 10.5259 2.51992 11.3443C2.86312 12.1627 3.36594 12.9049 3.99919 13.5279C5.11957 14.6901 6.62279 15.4103 8.23285 15.5562C9.84291 15.7022 11.4517 15.2641 12.7639 14.3224L16.1788 17.7275C16.3849 17.9034 16.6473 18 16.9186 18C17.1899 18 17.4523 17.9034 17.6585 17.7275C18.1138 17.16 18.1138 16.5925 17.6585 16.025ZM5.59278 12.0523C5.16258 11.6298 4.82094 11.1263 4.58774 10.5709C4.35455 10.0156 4.23446 9.41951 4.23446 8.81744C4.23446 8.21536 4.35455 7.6193 4.58774 7.06394C4.82094 6.50859 5.16258 6.00503 5.59278 5.58257C6.01644 5.15359 6.52144 4.81292 7.07838 4.58039C7.63532 4.34786 8.23308 4.22811 8.83687 4.22811C9.44066 4.22811 10.0384 4.34786 10.5954 4.58039C11.1523 4.81292 11.6573 5.15359 12.081 5.58257C12.5112 6.00503 12.8528 6.50859 13.086 7.06394C13.3192 7.6193 13.4393 8.21536 13.4393 8.81744C13.4393 9.41951 13.3192 10.0156 13.086 10.5709C12.8528 11.1263 12.5112 11.6298 12.081 12.0523C11.6573 12.4813 11.1523 12.822 10.5954 13.0545C10.0384 13.287 9.44066 13.4068 8.83687 13.4068C8.23308 13.4068 7.63532 13.287 7.07838 13.0545C6.52144 12.822 6.01644 12.4813 5.59278 12.0523Z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:67%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the Center&#8217;s PIs, Harald Hammarstr\u00f6m, starts a new project, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rj.se\/Nyheter\/2025\/humanistisk-och-samhallsvetenskaplig-forskning-tillfors-325-miljoner-kronor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">funded by Riksbankensjubileumsfond<\/a>. For the next 6 years, the team will dive headlong into the peripheries of human linguistic ability. It&#8217;s one of two RJ Programs funded this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Big congratulations!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Linguistic diversity: a manifestation of human capacities and a footprint of history<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Abstract<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this program, we explore the outer limits of human language ability. We break new ground by shifting the focus of linguistic research from the properties that languages \u200b\u200bhave in common to discovering and exploring exceptional linguistic phenomena that have so far eluded science. The world\u2019s linguistic diversity is far from fully mapped. Our knowledge of the full breadth of the human conceptual world \u2013 its \u201cdesign space\u201d \u2013 depends entirely on our discovering and investigating unknown and rare phenomena in the grammar and vocabulary of lesser-known languages. The task is urgent: unexplored languages \u200b\u200band linguistic phenomena are being lost at a breakneck pace. Drawing on our expertise in endangered language communities around the world, the program launches a groundbreaking agenda to discover the linguistic unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The program takes a broad approach to fundamental areas of the human conceptual world \u2013 time, space, person, and knowledge \u2013 but shines a light beyond the very limits of our current understanding. We open up new perspectives for comparative language research and enrich language theory with significant new insights. We document dwindling forms of human expression and develop a digital resource that preserves this language data for the future. The program places Sweden&#8217;s leading experts in language documentation and linguistic diversity at the centre of an international, interdisciplinary network of researchers. It supports a new generation of researchers in Sweden and abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read more: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gu.se\/nyheter\/outforskade-sprak-ska-vidga-var-syn-pa-mansklig-sprakformaga?fbclid=IwY2xjawNsJQ9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF3ZGdpZzBBYXhNclEycDJrAR5zqjUOvXTJ8rz7ClqofqC_6dbofsoYZ55OPbi9vRgFC_wFALjHPe_7UMv7TQ_aem_jcY3Zo-n4bBP38mLrbNWaQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Outforskade spr\u00e5k ska vidga v\u00e5r syn p\u00e5 m\u00e4nsklig spr\u00e5kf\u00f6rm\u00e5ga<\/a> (G\u00f6teborg universitet, in Swedish)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rj.se\/bidrag\/2025\/outforskade-sprakfenomen-kartlaggning-och-dokumentation-av-den-manskliga-sprakformagans-utmarker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Go to RJ webpage<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of the Center&#8217;s PIs, Harald Hammarstr\u00f6m, starts a new project, funded by Riksbankensjubileumsfond. For the next 6 years, the team will dive headlong into the peripheries of human linguistic [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2156,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[176,69,61],"tags":[17,178],"class_list":["post-2155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grants-funding","category-people","category-research","tag-linguistics","tag-rj-program"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2155"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2155\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2168,"href":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2155\/revisions\/2168"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centerforthehumanpast.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}