Languages and linguistics research
Study
Find programmes with a research element, including the PhD.
Research degrees
- Bachelor of Arts with Honours (Māori Knowledge)
- Bachelor of Arts with Honours (Spanish)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Master of Applied Linguistics
- Master of Applied Linguistics (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
- Master of Arts (Māori Knowledge)
- Master of Arts (Spanish)
- Master of Speech and Language Therapy
- Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Māori Knowledge)
Doctorate
Research expertise
Chinese
Chinese is the new world language. Massey is researching how it is learnt and understood in a global and digital world.
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Critical language and discourse studies
This research examines language, interaction and discourse in a range of contexts, drawing on the methods and theory of sociolinguistics and discourse analysis.
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French
Historically, culturally, linguistically and politically, the French nation, people and language have played a role on all continents. Massey researches this ongoing multi-faceted presence.
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Japanese
Massey has experts in the development of Japanese fluency through extensive reading, and the interface of poetry and diary writing with medieval Japanese cultural processes.
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Language in multilingual contexts
Research on language learning and use in diverse and multilingual contexts where dynamic and fluid linguistic practices challenge traditional notions of language as a monolithic entity.
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Language learners on the move
Our research focuses on the experiences of learners who engage with language study in context where their first language is rarely spoken.
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Language learning and teaching (educational linguistics)
Our research explores learning and teaching processes in contemporary educational settings, and how these are shaped by and interact with the expectations of stakeholders (parents, communities, administrators) and tools (pedagogy, assessment, educational policy).
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Pacific languages: documentation, description, support
Descriptive and documentary linguistics focusing on the Pacific and Aotearoa. We aim to create lasting, multipurpose records of language use in context, supporting community members to access their linguistic and cultural heritage.
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Portuguese
A new and vibrant research programme that strengthens the cultural and business ties between New Zealand and the Portuguese-speaking world. Our research focuses on second language acquisition, cross-linguistic influence and how language competence brings cultures and societies closer.
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Spanish
Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Our research captures the vibrancy and diversity of its cultural, artistic and literary expressions.
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Research projects
History and fiction in post-WW2 French narrative fictions
This research examines the working together of history and fiction in the context of post-WW2 narrative fictions in French. Focusing primarily on the work of French novelist Patrick Modiano (1945-), the research seeks to define a poetics of reticence informed by the work of French philosophers Paul Ricœur and Roland Barthes.
Investing in Human Capital: Growing Workforce Expertise in Speaking Mandarin
This project, funded by the Royal Society of New Zealand addresses the need for more New Zealanders to gain proficiency in Mandarin as part of a wider goal to foster business and trade connections.
Student research
Dr Fahd Hamad A. Alqasham has been awarded the prize for best PhD thesis of 2018 by the Applied Linguistics Association of New Zealand (ALANZ). His PhD thesis was on the topic of ‘Virtual social network-mediated English language learning in a Saudi tertiary EFL context: Innovation and agency’.
Dr Fahd Hamad A. Alqasham
PhD Applied Linguistics
Hanna’s paper ‘Engaging with emotions: Teachers’ emotion work and emotional responses in the context of teaching Swedish to adult migrants and refugees’ is based on work she did during her Master of Applied Linguistics.
Hanna Brookie
Master of Applied Linguistics
Dr Hinurewa Poutū’s research explored the role of youth in Māori language revival, and the factors that influence the use of te reo Māori among those who've been educated in whare kura (Māori-medium secondary schools).
Hinurewa Poutū
Doctor of Philosophy
Cuong won the 2017 prize for the best PhD thesis in applied linguistics in New Zealand with ‘An ecological perspective on the motivational trajectories of high school students learning English in rural Vietnam’.
Huy Cuong Pham
Deputy Head, Faculty of Foreign Languages at the University of Economics and Law, Vietnam National University
PhD Applied Linguistics
Julia’s thesis ‘Emergent literacy practices for preschool children with autism spectrum disorders’ focused on areas that helped her make a difference in the everyday lives of her clients and their families.
Julia Wright
Speech and Language Therapist - Ministry of Education
Master of Speech and Language Therapy
Research centres
Joint Centre for Research in Applied Linguistics
The centre is a joint venture between Massey University and Beijing Language and Culture University to research distance language acquisition of Chinese in digital environments.
W.H. Oliver Humanities Research Academy
The academy fosters a vibrant, creative and responsive research culture among humanities scholars, to anticipate and addresses current and future research challenges.