About
Moira is interested in the phonological and morphological aspects of language change, and typological patterns of language diversification. She is particularly interested in contact phenomena and the interplay of social forces such as language use and power relationships and internal linguistic change in a contact environment. Moira’s recent research includes the ongoing development of an open-source multimedia talking dictionary of Jejueo, an endangered language of Jeju Island, South Korea. The dictionary will include over 200 hours of Jejueo natural language use as well as ritual language, and is scheduled for release online and as an Android app in 2016. Moira graduated in 2014 with an MA in Linguistics from Wayne State University, where she wrote her MA thesis on Jejueo morphological attrition and contact influence in Jejueo-speaking communities in Korea and Japan. Moira hopes contribute to the reconstruction of Proto-Korean, advancing knowledge of the structural features and historical relationships of the Koreanic language family.