2023 Research Placement Project
About The Project
Although it is frequently overlooked, language is a vital component of identity and legacy. With the help of local involvement, this initiative hopes to show Nottingham residents the value of place and language. The project aims to include regional language and cultural heritage into policies through collaboration with local authority stakeholders and museums, archives, and libraries. The long-term objective is to combat cultural deprivation and boost diversity in Nottingham by preserving, celebrating, and promoting language heritage, especially for children and young people.
This project has been co-created and is supported by researchers from Nottingham Trent University, the University of Nottingham and partners at ChalleNGE Nottingham.
Project Aims
The aim of the project is to create campaigns to highlight language tales, especially those in languages other than English and regional dialects, as well as the rediscovery of specialised languages from vanishing professions. During the six-week placement, partners, potential for teamwork, and engagement will be surveyed, especially considering Nottingham’s Year of Stories. In order to increase awareness of language and heritage inside Nottingham City Council, the team will collaborate with ChalleNGe to forge connections with new partners, institutions of higher learning, and neighbourhood associations. The study will act as a test run for a prospective place-based PhD studentship in the future.
The Project Team
- Placement Candidate: Jack Benjamin
- Lead Supervisor: Natalie Braber, NTU
Professor Natalie Braber specializes in language variation in the East Midlands, particularly ‘pit talk’ of coal miners, and works with community groups and partners to raise awareness and interaction with local language.
- Co-Supervisor: Prof. Nicola McLelland, UoN
As Nottingham’s lead on the AHRC-funded MEITS project, Prof. Nicola McLelland has expertise in multilingualism, language variation, and standardization. She has experience working with local partners, including Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature and Nottingham Central Library.
- Community Supervisor: Cathy Mahmood, ChalleNGE Nottingham
ChalleNGE Nottingham Cultural Education Partnership is an umbrella organization advancing cultural education in Nottingham. The partnership brings together various operational partners, making valuable links across arts, education, and community sectors.