Current and recent research projects

I am associate professor of Linguistics. 

My research focuses on morpho-syntactic functional typology, especially in the areas of word classes, argument structure, and dependent clauses.

In June 2019 I was granted an NWO Vidi  grant for the project "Exceptions rule! Lexical restrictions on grammatical structure." This project started early 2020, in collaboration with Katherine Walker (PhD candidate), George Saad, and Clemens Mayer. In January 2021, Pegah Faghiri (postdoc) will join the team.

Between 2011 and 2016 I worked as a postdoctoral researcher on the project "Nouns and verbs, and what it means not to have them", with an NWO VENI-grant from the Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research. This project investigated the semantics and morpho-syntax of flexible word classes in Oceanic languages.

Between 2009 and 2011, I was a postdoctoral research associate with Prof. Anna Siewierska at Lancaster University, working on the project "Referential hierarchies in morpho-syntax" (RHIM), funded by the European Science Foundation.

My PhD research (2009) comprised a typological study of word class systems and dependent clause constructions in 50 languages around the world. Specifically, I investigated the relation between functional flexibility of word classes and dependent clause constructions in diverse languages. My thesis won the Joseph Greenberg Award for best typological dissertation between 2009 and 2013.

Publications
 

Forthcoming:

Olthof, M., E. van Lier, T. Claessen, S. Danielsen, K. Haude, N. Lehmann, M. Mous, E. Visser, E. Verhoeven, M. Vuillermet, A. Wolvengrey. Verb-based restrictions on noun incorporation across languages. Linguistic Typology.
 

2018

• Van Lier, E. & M. van Rijn. 2018. Alienability splits in action nominal constructions. STUF  Typology and Universals 71(4): 1-49.

2017

• Van Lier, E. 2017b. Introduction: Lexical flexibility in Oceanic languages. Studies in Language 41(2): 241-254. 
• Van Lier, E. 2017a.The typology of property words in Oceanic languages. Linguistics 55(6): 1237-1280.

2016

• Van Lier, E. 2016: Lexical flexibility in Oceanic languages. Linguistic Typology 20.2: 197-254.
• Van Bergen, G., E. van Lier. & P. de Swart. 2016+ Lexical preferences in Dutch ditransitives. To apper in: S. Grondelaers & R. van Hout (eds.), New ways of analyzing syntactic variation. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton
• Van Lier, E., J. Jansen & A. Witzlack-Makarevich. 2016. Referential and lexical factors in ditransitive alignment variation. Linguistics 54(3). 563–616.

2015

• Boye, K., E. van Lier & E. Theilgaard-Brink. 2015. Epistemic complementizers: a cross-linguistic survey. Language Sciences 51. 1–17.

2013

• Van Lier, E. & M. van Rijn 2013. Argument coding in nominalizations in Central-Eastern Oceanic languages. Lingue e Linguaggio 12.2: 279-305.
• Don, J. & E. van Lier. 2013. Categorization and derivation in flexible and differentiated languages. In J. Rijkhoff & E. van Lier (eds.), Flexible word classes: a typological study of underspecified parts-of-speech. Oxford University Press. pp. 56-88.
• Rijkhoff, J. & E. van Lier (eds.) 2013. Flexible word classes: a typological study of underspecified parts-of-speech. Oxford University Press.
• Siewierska, A. & E. van Lier 2013. Introduce: encoding of a non-prototypical three-participant event across Europe. In E. van Gelderen, M. Cennamo and J. Barðdal. (eds.), Argument structure in flux: the Naples/Capri papers. Amsterdam: Benjamins. pp. 169-200.Van Lier, E. & J. Rijkhoff 2013. Flexible word classes in linguistic typology and grammatical theory. In J. Rijkhoff & E. van Lier (eds.), Flexible word classes: a typological study of underspecified parts-of-speech. Oxford University Press. pp. 1-30.
• Van Lier, E. & J. Rijkhoff 2013. Flexible word classes in linguistic typology and grammatical theory.
  In J. Rijkhoff & E. van Lier (eds.), Flexible word classes: a typological study of underspecified parts-of-speech. Oxford University Press. pp. 1-30.

2012

• Croft, W. & E. van Lier 2012. Language universals without universal categories. Theoretical Linguistics 38-1/2: 57-72.
• Russell, L., I. Genee, F. Zúñiga & E. van Lier 2012. Referential hierarchies in three-participant constructions in Blackfoot. In E. van Lier (ed.), Referential hierarchies in three-participant constructions . Linguistic Discovery 10/3: 55-79.
• Siewierska, A. & E. van Lier 2012. Ditransitive constructions with two human non-agentive arguments. Faits de Langues 39: 141-156 , edited by K. Haude & A. Montaut.
• Van Lier, E. 2012a. Reconstructing multifunctionality. Theoretical Linguistics 38-1/2: 119-136.
• Van Lier, E. 2012b: Referential effects on the expression of three-participant events across languages. An introduction in memory of Anna Siewierska. Linguistic Discovery 10/3: 1-16.
• Van Lier, E. 2012c (ed.): Referential hierarchies in three-participant constructions. Special issue of Linguistic Discovery (volume 10, issue 3).

2011

• Fischer, R. & E. van Lier 2011. Cofán subordinate clauses in a typology of subordination. In P. Muysken, K. Haude & R. van Gijn (eds.), Subordination in South American Indian Languages. Amsterdam: Benjamins. pp. 221 – 249.

2010

• Hengeveld, K. & E. van Lier. 2010. A functional map of Parts-of-Speech. In A. Malchukov, M. Cysouw & M. Haspelmath (eds.), Semantic Maps: Methods and Applications. Special issue of Linguistic Discovery 7/1.

2009

• Van Lier, E. 2009. Parts of Speech and Dependent Clauses. A typological study (LOT dissertation series no. 221). Utrecht: LOT.

2008

• Hengeveld, K. & E. van Lier 2008. Lexical and complex heads in Functional Discourse Grammar. Studies in Language 32/3 753 – 785.

2006

• Van Lier, E. 2006. Parts-of-speech systems and dependent clauses: a typological study. Folia Linguistica 40/3-4, 239 – 304.
• Verhagen, J., E. van Lier, S. Dikker, H. Cardoso, & J. Arends 2006. On the presence versus absence of morphological marking in four Romance-based creoles. In P. Bhatt & I. Plag (eds.), The structure of creole words: Segmental, syllabic and morphological aspects. (Linguistische Arbeiten 505) Tübingen: Niemeyer. pp. 223 – 241.

2005

• Dikker, S. & E. van Lier 2005. The interplay between syntactic and conceptual information: Agreement domains in FDG. In J. Lachlan Mackenzie & M. de los Ángeles Gómez-Gonzáles (eds.), Studies in Functional Discourse Grammar. (Linguistic Insights 26) Bern: Peter Lang. pp. 83 – 108.

• Van Lier, E. 2005. The explanatory power of typological hierarchies: developmental perspectives on non-verbal predication. In C. de Groot & K. Hengeveld (eds.), Morphosyntactic Expression in Functional Grammar. (Functional Grammar Series 27) New York/Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. pp. 249 – 280.

2004

• Van Lier, E. 2004. Straattaal. Neerlandica Extra Muros. Tijdschrift van de Internationale Vereniging voor Neerlandistiek. Februari 2004. Amsterdam: Rozenberg Publishers.

Teaching and supervision
 

2016 - current

• Introduction to Linguistics
• Morphology
• Linguistic Typology
• Perspectives on Universals 1 and 2 (rMA)
• Taal- en spraakmodellen
• Syntaxis
   

2005 - 2016

Functional Typology (at Lancaster University), European Linguistics, The essence of language, Taaltheorieën, Linguistics (at Amsterdam University College) 

Supervision:

• Co-promotor of PhD Project Predication and modifcation in the noun phrase and beyond, Marlou van Rijn
• Supervisor of various RMA and BA theses, research internship, and tutorials
   

Presentations

PDFs of these presentation are available upon request.

Invited talks

• Patterns of multifunctionality in word classes and dependent clauses. 10 ^th Biennial Meeting of the Association for Linguistic Typology (ALT10), Leipzig, 15 August 2013.
• Societal Relevance and what it means (not) to have it. Allard Pierson Museum Amsterdam, 24 November 2011.

Selected conference and workshop presentations

2018

• Verb-based restrictions on incorporation. A typological survey (with Marieke Olthof). Syntax of the World's languages 8, Paris, September 2018

2017

• Alienability splits in action nominalizations. (with Marlou van Rijn.) 50^th Annual Meeting of the Societas Linguistica Europeae (SLE 50), Zürich, September 2017.
• Differential possessive coding in nominalizations (with Marlou van Rijn). Workshop on Coding Asymmetries at DGFs-conference, Saarbücken, March 2017

2015

• Property words in Oceanic languages. Diversity Linguistics, retrospect and prospect (Closing conference of the MPI Evolutionary Anthropology), Leipzig, 1-3 May 2015.
• Measuring lexical flexibility in Oceanic languages. Workshop on Substance and Structure in Linguistics, Copenhagen, 27-28 February 2015.

2014

• Degrees of lexical flexibility in and across Oceanic languages. Workshop on Lexical flexibility in Oceanic languages, Amsterdam, 23-24 October 2014.
• Lexical flexibility in Oceanic languages. 6 ^th Conference on Syntax of the World’s Languages (SWL VI), Pavia, 7-10 September 2014.

2013

• Argument marking in Oceanic nominalizations. With Marlou van Rijn. 10 ^th Biennial meeting of the Association for Linguistic Typology (ALT10), Leipzig, 16 August 2013.

2012

• Lexical preferences in Dutch ditransitives. Poster presentation with Peter de Swart and Geertje van Bergen. Workshop New ways of analyzing syntactic variation, Nijmegen, 15 November 2012.
• Nominal/verbal marking in Oceanic languages. 44 ^th Annual Meeting of the Societas Linguistica Europeae (SLE 44). Stockholm, 30 August 2012.
• Referential hierarchies and three-participant constructions. With Katharina Haude. ESF EuroBABEL closing conference, Leiden, 23 August 2012.

2011

• Ditransitives and alignment typology – in memory of Anna Siewierska. 44 ^th Annual Meeting of the Societas Linguistica Europeae (SLE 44). Logroño, 8 September 2011.
• Alignment typology in three-participant constructions. With A. Siewierska & A. Witzlack-Makarevich.  9 ^th Biennial Conference of the Association for Linguistic Typology (ALT9). Hong Kong, 21-24 July 2011.
• Referential hierarchies in three-participant constructions in Blackfoot: The effects of animacy, topicality, person, and specificity. With Inge Genee & Fernando Zúñiga. Workshop on Referential Hierarchies in Three-participant constructions. Lancaster, 20-21 May 2011.
• Introducing people and ideas in Europe and beyond. With A. Siewierska. Workshop on Role complexes – (new) approaches to defining semantic roles. Zurich, 4-5 April 2011.

2010

• Lexical and referential effects on three-participant constructions. With A. Siewierska. 4 ^th Conference on Syntax of the World's Languages (SLW IV). Lyon, 23-26 September 2010.
• Hierarchical systems and three-participant constructions. With A. Siewierska & K. Haude. 43 ^th Annual Meeting of the Societas Linguistica Europeae (SLE 43). Vilnius, 1-4 September 2010.
• Non-prototypical ditransitives. With A. Siewierska. Workshop on variation and change in argument realization. Napels/Capri, 27-30 May 2010.
• Assessing referential effects in ditransitives. With A. Witzlack-Makarevich, A. Siewierska, & B. Bickel. 1 ^st Euro BABEL workshop on Referential Hierarchies in Morphosyntax. Leipzig, 15 March 2010.

2009

• Semantic (non-)compositionality and (re-)categorization in flexible languages. With J. Don. 1 ^st conference on Morphology of the World's Languages (MOWL 1). Leipzig, 11-13 June 2009, and at the Conference on universals and typology in word formation. Kosice, 16-18 August 2009.

• Epistemic complementizers - a cross-linguistic survey. With K. Boye. 8 ^th Biennial Conference of the Association for Linguistic Typology (ALT8). Berkeley, 23-26 July 2009.

2008

• Flexibility in grammar: its diversity and its limits. With J. Don & K. Hengeveld. 3 ^rd conference of Syntax of the World's Languages (SWL III). Berlin, 26 September 2008.

2007

• Word classes and dependent clauses: Functional rigidity versus flexibility. 7 ^th Conference of the Association for Linguistic Typology (ALT7). Paris, 25-28 September 2007.
• A functional map of parts of speech. With K. Hengeveld. Workshop on semantic maps – methods and application. Paris, 29 September 2007.
• On the lack of word-class distinction: flexibility and conversion. With J. Don. International workshop on flexible languages. Amsterdam, 20 April 2007.
• The distribution of parts-of-speech and dependent clauses in Cofán. With R. Fischer, Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas (SSILA). Anaheim, California, 4-7 January 2007.

2006

• Flexibility and rigidity of parts-of-speech classes and dependent clauses. 2 ^nd Conference on Syntax of the World's Languages (SWL II). Lancaster, 14-17 September 2006.
• Lexical and complex heads and modifiers in FDG. With K. Hengeveld. 12 ^th International Conference on Functional Grammar (ICFG 12). Sao José de Rio Preto, Brazil, 19 July 2006.
• The distributional parallel between parts-of-speech and dependent clauses. Conference on universality and particularity in parts-of-speech systems. Amsterdam, 8-10 June 2006.

2005

• Predicting the coding and distribution of dependent predicates on the basis of parts-of-speech systems: a typological pilot study. 38th Conference of the Societas Linguistica Europea (SLE 38). Valencia, September 2005.

2004

• On the whereabouts of gender and number agreement location and accessibility. With S. Dikker. 11 ^th International Functional Grammar Conference (ICFG 11). Gijón, September 2004.

2003

• Inflectional morphology in four Romance-based Creoles. With J. Arends, H. Cardoso, S. Dikker en J. Verhagen. International workshop on the phonology and morphology of creole languages. Siegen, October 2003.