Prof Nancy Kula
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Email
nckula@essex.ac.uk -
Location
Colchester Campus
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Academic support hours
Thursdays 10-12
Profile
Biography
Nancy studied phonology for her PhD at the University of Leiden, The Netherlands, MA in Linguistics at SOAS, University of London, and BA in Linguistics at the University of Zambia. Following her PhD she held a post-doctoral position in Leiden and at SOAS for three years. Her research centrally focus on Bantu languages, particularly on phonology but also on phonology-syntax interface and morphosyntax. She has worked on many topics in phonology including nasalisation, palatalisation, spirantisation, vowel harmony, strength relations, segmental structure, syllable structure, derived environments, licensing, tone, intonation and element theory. She has published in international journals including Phonology, The Linguistic Review, Lingua, Transactions of The Philological Society, JALL, SAL, Lingusitic Analysis and is co-editor of The Continuum/Bloomsbury Companion to Phonology (2011/2013). Her research interests are in decsriptive and theoretical linguistics (morphology and phonology), Bantu Languages, endangered languages and African linguistics in general. She runs the Phonology Research Group.
Qualifications
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BA Lusaka (UNZA)
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MA London (SOAS)
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PhD Leiden (LUCL)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Phonological Theory
Phonology-Prosody Interface
Second Language Phonology
Phonology-Syntax Interface
Bantu Languages
Tone and prosodic systems
Current research
Nancy is currently working on intonation in Bantu languages (currently focusing on Bemba) and the interaction between lexical tone and intonational tone in such systems. She is also looking at tonal change in Bantu and how this can be accounted for in contemporary phonological theory.
Conferences and presentations
Developing an areal view of intonation in Eastern Bantu
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, Linguistics Association of SADC Countries Conference, 5/8/2019
Local and global intonational effects in some Bantu languages
Keynote presentation, Tone and Intonation in Europe (TIE 2018), Gothenburg, Sweden, 12/10/2018
Unexpected Nasal Effects
Keynote presentation, RFP 2018: 16èmes Rencontres du Réseau Français de Phonologie (16th annual conference of the French Phonology Network), Université Paris 8, Paris, France, 28/6/2018
Mental Representation of Tonal Spreading in Bemba
Keynote presentation, Tonal Aspects of Languages (TAL) 2018, Berlin, Germany, 19/6/2018
Prosodic marking of focus and blurring phonology/morphology in conjoint-disjoint marking
Keynote presentation, Association of Contemporary African Linguistics (ACAL 2018), East Lansing, United States, 23/3/2018
Boundary tones in Bemba. Workshop on Intonation in African Languages, CALL 46, University of Leiden, 31st August 2016 (with Silke Hamann). - Presentation
Leiden, Netherlands, 2016
Comparative evidence in the analysis of additive focus. Syntax of the Worlds Languages, University of Mexico, 17-19 August 2016 (with Lutz Marten).- Presentation
Mexico City, Mexico, 2016
Depressor effects in Bantu (& Khoisan). East Coast Phonology Meeting, Durham, 7th July 2016 (with Xiaoxi Liu)- Presentation
Durham, United Kingdom, 2016
Are subjects = topics in Bantu? What does intonation show? International conference on Bantu Languages 6, University of Helsinki, 20-23 June 2016.- Presentation
Helsinki, Finland, 2016
Phonetic and Phonological factors in L2: On the emergence of new features. 13th Old World Conference in Phonology, Budapest, 13-16 January 2016 (with Nasir Abbas).- Presentation
Budapest, Hungary, 2016
Intonational cues for subjects and topics in Bantu. LAGB, UCL, 15-18 September 2015- Presentation
London, United Kingdom, 2015
Correlations and non-correlations between productivity, prosody, and semantics in non-accent languages, SLE 2015, 48th Annual Meeting of the Societas Linguistica Europaea, Leiden University Centre for Linguistics, 2-5th September 2015- Presentation
Leiden, Netherlands, 2015
Mapping intonational cues onto lexical tones. LSSA/SAALA/SAALT, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 24-26th June 2015- Presentation
Potchefstroom, South Africa, 2015
How far can a tone spread? On mutually-feeding iterativity. 23rd Manchester Phonology Meeting, 28-30th May 2015- Presentation
Manchester, United Kingdom, 2015
Can GP count? On ternary spreading domains. GPRT 2015, University of Vienna, 2nd May 2015.- Presentation
Vienna, Austria, 2015
The mental representation of ternary spreading: How are derived tones processed? 12th Old World Conference in Phonology, Barcelona, 27-30th January 2015.- Presentation
Barcelona, Spain, 2015
Was there a super High tone in Bemba P3? CALL, 30th August 2nd September 2015- Presentation
1919
Teaching and supervision
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 16/9/2022
Degree subject: Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 23/3/2022
Degree subject: Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 3/11/2020
Degree subject: Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 23/7/2020
Degree subject: Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 25/6/2020
Degree subject: Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 20/5/2020
Degree subject: Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 9/12/2019
Degree subject: Applied Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 25/3/2019
Degree subject: Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 6/7/2018
Degree subject: Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 28/6/2018
Degree subject: Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 17/1/2018
Degree subject: Psycholinguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 13/1/2015
Degree subject: Linguistics
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 18/2/2013
Publications
Journal articles (35)
Kula, N. and Syed, N., Non-myopic nasal spreading in Saraiki. Radical: A Journal of Phonology. 1, 126-172
Reilly, C., Costley, T., Gibson, H. and Kula, N., (2024). The multilingual university: language ideology, hidden policies and language practices in Malawian universities. Language, Culture and Curriculum. 37 (2), 213-229
Mapunda, G., Costley, T., Gibson, H., Kula, N. and Reilly, C., (2024). Rethinking language: The need for language supportive pedagogy within teacher training in Tanzania. Nordic Journal of African Studies. 33 (3), 184-202
Costley, T., Kula, N. and Marten, L., (2023). Translanguaging Spaces and Multilingual Public Writing in Zambia: Tracing change in the linguistic landscape of Ndola on the Copperbelt. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. 44 (9), 773-793
Reilly, C., Costley, T., Gibson, H., Kula, N., Bagwasi, M., Dikosha, D., Mmolao, P., Mwansa, J., Mwandia, M., Mapunda, G. and James, E., (2023). Emerging principles for researching multilingually in linguistic ethnography: Reflections from Botswana, Tanzania, the UK, and Zambia. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. 44 (8), 689-701
Kula, N., (2023). Why should voiceless aspirates cause depression in Nguni?. Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus. 67 (1), 43-47
Reilly, C., Bagwasi, MM., Costley, T., Gibson, H., Kula, NC., Mapunda, G. and Mwansa, J., (2022). ‘Languages don’t have bones, so you can just break them’: rethinking multilingualism in education policy and practice in Africa. Journal of the British Academy. 10 (s4), 1-20
Kula, N. and Mwansa, JM., (2022). Learning literacy in a familiar language: Comparing reading and comprehension competence in Bemba in two contrasting settings in Northern Zambia. Journal of the British Academy. 10 (s4), 97-124
Hamann, S. and Kula, N., (2021). Phonetic and phonological considerations on the moraic status of pre-NC vowels in Bemba. Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus. 62 (0), 57-74
Kula, NC., (2020). Developing an Areal View of Intonation in Eastern Bantu. Journal of Law and Social Sciences. 3 (1), 1-39
Kula, NC., (2017). Reduction in remoteness distinctions and reconfiguration in the Bemba past tense. Transactions of the Philological Society. 115 (1), 27-57
Kula, NC. and Kadenge, M., (2015). INTRODUCTION: Phonetics and Phonology in Bantu. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies. 33 (3), iii-v
Kula, NC. and Bickmore, LS., (2015). Phrasal phonology in Copperbelt Bemba. Phonology. 32 (01), 147-176
Hamann, S. and Kula, NC., (2015). Bemba. Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 45 (1), 61-69
Hamann, S. and Kula, NC., (2015). Bemba. Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 45 (01), 61-69
Marten, L. and Kula, NC., (2014). Benefactive and substitutive applicatives in Bemba. Journal of African Languages and Linguistics. 35 (1), 1-44
Bickmore, LS. and Kula, NC., (2013). Ternary spreading and the ocp in copperbelt bemba. Studies in African Linguistics. 42 (2), 101-132
Marten, L. and Kula, NC., (2012). Object marking and morphosyntactic variation in Bantu. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies. 30 (2), 237-253
Kula, NC., (2012). Phillip Backley (2011). An introduction to Element Theory. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Pp. xiv+210.. Phonology. 29 (2), 337-341
Basciano, B., Kula, NC. and Melloni, C., (2011). Modes of compounding in Bantu, Romance and Chinese. Italian Journal of Linguistics. 23 (2), 203-249
Delfitto, D., Fiorin, G. and Kula, NC., (2011). Syntactic gradients in compounding: Bemba associative nominals vs. prepositional and deverbal compounds. Italian Journal of Linguistics. 23 (2), 301-325
Kula, NC., (2009). . Lingua. 119 (3), 502-506
Kula, NC., (2009). Book review: Lee Bickmore, Chilungu Phonology , CSLI Publications, University of Chicago Press, Stanford (2007).. Lingua. 119 (3), 502-506
Marten, L. and Kula, NC., (2008). Meanings of money: national identity and the semantics of currency in Zambia and Tanzania. Journal of African Cultural Studies. 20 (2), 183-198
Kula, NC., (2008). Derived environment effects: A representational approach. Lingua. 118 (9), 1328-1343
(2008). Trends in Prosodic Phonology. Lingua: International Review of General Linguistics. 118 (9), 1250-1428
Marten, L., Kula, NC. and Thwala, N., (2007). Parameters of morphosyntactic variation in Bantu1. Transactions of the Philological Society. 105 (3), 253-338
Kula, NC. and Cheng, LL-S., (2007). Phonological and syntactic phrasing in Bemba relatives. Journal of African Languages and Linguistics. 28 (2), 123-148
Kula, NC., (2007). Effects of phonological phrasing on syntactic structure. The Linguistic Review. 24 (2-3), 201-231
Kula, NC. and Cheng, L., (2007). Phonological and Syntactic phrasing in Bemba relatives. Journal of African Languages and Linguistics. 28 (3), 123-148
Kula, NC. and Tzakosta, M., (2006). Complex structures in the acquisition of Greek: A GP and OT approach. Glossologia. 17, 111-125
Kula, NC., (2006). Licensing saturation: co-occurrence restrictions in structure. Linguistic Analysis. 32 (3-4), 366-406
Kula, NC., (2006). No initial empty CV in clusterless languages. Linguistics in the Netherlands. 23 (1), 137-149
Cheng, L. and Kula, NC., (2006). Syntactic and phonological phrasing in Bemba relatives. ZAS Papers in Linguistics. 43, 31-54
Kula, NC. and Marten, L., (2000). Constraints and Processes: Evidence from Bemba, Herero and Swahili. SOAS Working Papers in Linguistics. 10, 91-102
Books (2)
Kula, NC., The Oxford Guide to the Bantu Languages. OUP
Kula, NC., Botma, B. and Nasukawa, K., (2013). Bloomsbury Companion to Phonology. Continuum Publishing Corporation. 1472541898. 9781441140180
Book chapters (26)
Kula, N., Domino effects and licensing chains in government licensing sequential NC clusters in Bantu. Editors: Breit, F., Youngberg, C. and Yoshida, Y., . UCL Press
Kula, N., Vowel Harmony. In: The Oxford Guide to the Bantu Languages. Editors: Marten, L., Hurst-Harosh, E., Kula, NC. and Zeller, J., . OUP
Kula, N. and Louriz, N., Acquisition in a multilingual context: English Mid and Low vowel contrasts by native speakers of Tashlhit. In: Essays in Berber Linguistics. Springer
Gibson, H., Kula, N., Marten, L. and Taji, J., (2023). Suffix order restrictions in Bantu. In: The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Morphology. Editors: Ackema, P., Bendjaballaha, S., Bonet, E. and Fábregas, A., . Wiley Blackwell. 1- 33. 9781119693574
Kula, N. and Nasukawa, K., (2021). Reanalysing “epenthetic” consonants in nasal-consonant sequences: A lexical specification approach. In: Perspectives in Element Theory. Editors: Benjaballah, S., Tifrit, A. and Voeltzel, L., . Mouton De Gruyter. 185- 206. 978-3-11-069197-9
Marten, L. and Kula, N., (2021). Expressing politeness and respect in Bantu Languages: A short comparative survey. In: African Languages: Linguistic, Literary and Social Issues; A festschrift in honour of Prof. Herman Batibo. Editors: Chebanne, A. and Lusekelo, A., . The Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society (CASAS). 67- 84. 9789204470147
Liu, X. and Kula, NC., (2020). Multi-layered recursive representations for depressors. In: Morpheme-internal Recursion in Phonology. 143- 180
Kula, NC. and Hamann, S., (2017). Intonation in Bemba. In: Intonation in African Tone Languages. Mouton de Gruyter. 321- 364. 9783110484793
(2017). The Routledge Handbook of Phonological Theory. In: The Routledge Handbook of Phonological Theory. Editors: Hannahs, SJ. and Bosch, ARK., . Routledge. 226- 261
Scheer, T. and Kula, NC., (2017). Government Phonology: Element theory, conceptual issues and introduction. In: Routledge Handbook of Phonological Theory. Editors: Hannahs, SJ. and Bosch, A., . Routledge. 226- 261. 9781138025813
Kula, NC., (2017). Uniqueness in element signatures. In: Sonic Signatures: Studies dedicated to John Harris. Editors: Lindsey, G. and Nevins, A., . Mouton de Gruyter. 118- 132. 9789027208316
Kula, NC., (2016). The conjoint/disjoint alternation and phonological phrasing in Bemba. In: The Conjoint/Disjoint Alternation in Bantu. Editors: Wal, J. and Hyman, LM., . De Gruyter. 258- 294. 9783110490831
Kula, NC., (2013). On retaining vowel colour in derived roots: blocked imbrication in Bemba. In: Bantu Languages and Linguistics: Papers in memory of Dr Rugatiri D.K Mekacha. Editors: Legere, K., . Thielmann & Breitinger. 9783939661122
Kula, NC. and Marten, L., (2011). The Prosody of Bemba Relative Clauses: A Case Study of the Syntax-Phonology Interface in Dynamic Syntax. In: The Dynamics of Lexical Interfaces. CSLI Publications. 61- 90. 9781575866154
Kula, NC., (2011). Revisiting Final-Devoicing in the L2 Acquisition of Final Voicing Contrasts. In: Achievements and Perspectives in SLA of Speech: New Sounds 2010, Volume II. Peter Lang Publishing Inc.. 149- 158. 9783631607237
Botma, B., Kula, NC. and Nasukawa, K., (2010). Features. In: Bloomsbury Companion to Phonology. Continuum International Publishing Group. 33- 63. 9780826434234
Kula, NC. and Marten, L., (2010). Argument structure and agency in Bemba passives. In: Bantu Languages Analyses, Description and Theory. Editors: Legere, K. and Thornell, C., . Rudiger K�ppe Publications. 115- 130. 978-3-89645-705-9
Kula, NC. and Lutz, M., (2009). Central, East and Southern African Languages. In: One Thousand Languages. Editors: Austin, P., . Ivy Press. 86- 111. 9780520255609
Kula, NC., (2009). Opacity in Bantu: In support of the internal organisation of features. In: Proceedings of Conference on Language Documentation & Linguistic Theory. Editors: Austin, PK., Bond, O., Charette, M., Nathan, D. and Sells, P., . Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project
Costa, J. and Kula, NC., (2008). Focus at the interface: Evidence from Romance and Bantu. In: Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today. John Benjamins Publishing Company. 293- 322. 9789027255143
Kula, NC. and Lutz, M., (2008). Zambia: 'One Zambia, One Nation, Many Languages'. In: Language and National Identity in Africa. Editors: Simpson, A., . Oxford University Press. 291- 313. 978-0-19-928675-1
Kula, NC., (2006). Lesotho language situation. In: Encyclopaedia of Language and Linguistics. Editors: Brown, K., . Elsevier. creators- Kula=3ANancy_C=3A=3A. 978-0-08-044854-1
Kula, NC., (2006). Zambia language situation. In: Encyclopaedia of Language and Linguistics vol 13. Editors: Brown, K., . Elsevier. 744- 745. 978-0-08-044854-1
Kula, NC., (2000). The Phonology-Morphology Interface: Consonant Mutations in Bemba. In: Linguistics in the Netherlands 2000. John Benjamins Publishing Company. 171- 183
Kula, NC., (2000). The morphology-phonology interface: consonant mutations in Bemba. In: Linguistics in the Netherlands. Editors: Hoop, HD. and van der Wouden, T., . John Benjamins Publishing. 171- 183. 9789027231666
Kula, NC., (1999). On the Representation of NC Clusters in Bemba. In: Linguistics in the Netherlands 1999. John Benjamins Publishing Company. 135- 148. 9789027231598
Conferences (2)
Kula, NC. and Braun, B., (2015). Mental representation of tonal spreading in Bemba: Evidence from elicited production and perception
Kula, NC. and Marten, L., (2009). Defining initial strength in clusterless languages in Strict CV
Reports and Papers (3)
Kula, NC. and Marten, L., (2007). Introduction to Bantu in Bloomsbury: Special Issue on Bantu Linguistics
Kula, NC. and Marten, L., (2007). Morphosyntactic co-variation in Bantu: Two case studies
Kula, NC., (2006). On derived environments in GP
Other (1)
(2011).Continuum Companion to Phonology,Continuum International Publishing Group
Grants and funding
2022
Supporting Multilingualism in Practice: Resource co-creation in primary classrooms in Tanzania
British Academy
2020
Dialectology in Bantu Languages: Variation in Bemba across phonology and morphosyntax
British Academy
2019
Bringing the outside in: Merging local language and literacy practices to enhance classroom learning and achievement
British Academy
2011
Tonal Change in the Evolution of a Tense System
The British Academy
A preliminary documentation of Siluyana: comparing Mbowe and Mwenyi
The Endangered Languages Documentation Programme (ELDP)
2008
African Linguistics Special 6th World Congress
The British Academy
Contact
Academic support hours:
Thursdays 10-12
