About
Glyn Hicks is Associate Professor in Linguistics in the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics.
His research focuses on syntactic theory and the architecture of the language faculty, including models of language acquisition. His research in syntactic theory has centred on Minimalist approaches to syntactic phenomena such as 'tough'-movement constructions and the interpretive dependencies of pronouns ("binding theory"). His research also connects formal syntactic theory to second language acquisition and language attrition in bilinguals.
Glyn teaches a number of undergraduate modules in linguistics at the University of Southampton, including Elements of Linguistics, Exploring French Linguistics, and Syntax.
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Syntactic theory
- Theories of the language faculty architecture, particularly the syntax-semantics interface and the syntax-morphology interface
- Acquisition and attrition of syntax in bilingual speakers
- Germanic and Romance syntax
Current research
Glyn is co-investigator of the AHRC project "Vulnerable Native Grammars" (2020-2023) which seeks to investigate the extent of attrition attested in the native language grammars of speakers who are extensively exposed to a second language variety after childhood, for example after migrating to a different country. He is interested in understanding how the representation of different grammatical phenomena according to formal approaches in syntactic theory can be related to the susceptibility of these properties to be attrited in the native grammar, and understanding under what linguistic conditions this may arise.
Glyn also currently works on syntactic phenomena that reveal the properties of the syntactic component of the language faculty and its interfaces with syntax and morphology. This includes research into 'tough' constructions and pronominals, often with a comparative cross-linguistic perspective.
Research projects
Completed projects
Publications
Teaching
Glyn teaches a number of undergraduate modules in linguistics at the University of Southampton. These currently include:
- Elements of Linguistics
- Exploring French Linguistics
- Syntax
- Advanced Syntax
Glyn has also taught on undergraduate modules in psycholinguistics and language acquisition and postgraduate modules in language description and analysis.
External roles and responsibilities
Biography
Glyn joined Southampton in 2007, after completing a BA in French and Linguistics at the University of York, followed by an MA and PhD in Linguistics, also at York. His PhD thesis is entitled The derivation of anaphoric relations and was published by John Benjamins in 2009. His research specialises in generative syntactic theory as well as its applications in language acquisition and language attrition. He is co-investigator on the AHRC-funded research project “Vulnerable native grammars: the effects of limited input in native language attrition” (2020-2023) and teaches modules in linguistics focusing on theoretical approaches to the grammatical properties of language.