Lauren W Reed

About Me

I am the Senior Linguist and Assistant Director at the Centre for Australian Languages at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). My major project is directing the fourth National Indigenous Languages Survey, which surveys the language vitality of 250+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and provides an evidence base to advocate for change.

I am part of an international team working on ELISA (Emergence of Language in Social Interaction), which is funded by the European Research Council and based at Tilburg University in the Netherlands. I am also a Research Officer in the School of Culture, History and Language at the Australian National University, where I am a collaborator in the Australian Research Council-funded Discovery Project "Body, Language and Socialisation Across Cultures".

I am a hearing Sibling of Deaf Adults and user since childhood of Auslan (Australian Sign Language). My research is grounded in fieldwork, which I have been privileged to carry out across Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Australia with different signing and speaking communities. My current research interests are in theory of mind, pragmatics, language evolution, and language description and documentation.

Publications

Hodge, Gabrielle; Danielle Barth; & Lauren W. Reed. (2023). Auslan and Matukar Panau: A modality-agnostic look at quotatives. In Barth, Danielle and Nicholas Evans (Eds.), Social Cognition Parallax Interview Corpus (SCOPIC). Language Documentation & Conservation Special Publication No. 12: 85-125. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/24744 

Reed, Lauren W. (2021). Sign networks: Nucleated network sign languages and rural homesign in Papua New Guinea. Language in Society 51(4): 627-661. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404521000798

Planer, Ronald J. & Lauren W Reed. (2021). Like hand, like mouth: On the role of gesture-linked mouth actions in the evolution of language. Biological Theory 16: 90-101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13752-021-00377-8

Reed, Lauren W & Kate L. Lindsey. (2021). “Now the story’s turning around”: Associated motion and directionality in Ende, a language of Papua New Guinea. In Koch, Harold & Antoine Guillaume (Eds.), Associated motion, pp. 357-383. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter Mouton.

Reed, Lauren W. (2020). "Switching caps": Two ways of communicating in sign in the Port Moresby deaf community, Papua New Guinea. Asia-Pacific Language Variation 6(1): 13-52. https://doi.org/10.1075/aplv.19010.ree [Auslan abstract available at https://benjamins.com/catalog/aplv.19010.ree/video/abstract]

Rumsey, Alan; Lauren W Reed; & Francesca Merlan. (2020). Ku Waru clause chaining and the acquisition of complex syntax. Frontiers in Communication 5, 19. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2020.00019

Reed, Lauren W & Alan Rumsey. (2020). Sign languages in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. In Kendon, Adam, Sign language in Papua New Guinea: A primary sign language from the Upper Lagaip Valley, Enga Province, pp. 141-183. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/z.226.se1

Ellis, Elizabeth M.; Jennifer Green; Inge Kral; & Lauren W Reed. (2019). Mara yurriku: Western Desert sign languages. Australian Aboriginal Studies (2): 89-111. Online: https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=807502779767538;res=IELIND

Publications (in progress)

Reed, Lauren W. (Accepted). Sign languages of the Papuasphere. In Evans, Nicholas and Fedden, Sebastian (Eds.), The Oxford guide to the Papuan languages.

Reed, Lauren W & Alison Mount (In prep). The Language Revival Index: A scale for measuring the strength of languages in a state of revitalisation.

Theses

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Sign languages of Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea, and their challenges for sign language typology. Master's thesis. Canberra: Australian National University. https://doi.org/10.25911/5d69027b5d5f8

Education

2019

Master of General and Applied Linguistics (Advanced), Australian National University, Canberra

2007

Bachelor of International Studies (Arabic), Deakin University, Melbourne                                                                       

2002

Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, RMIT University, Melbourne

Prizes

2019

University Medal, Australian National University

2008

Alfred Deakin Medal, Deakin University 

Grants, Scholarships and Fellowships

2019

Jalwang Scholarship, Australian Linguistic Society (AUD $4,901)

2018

Language Documentation Grant, Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (AUD $8,574)

Student Experience Grant, College of Arts and Social Sciences, ANU (AUD $2,000)

Student Extracurricular Enrichment Fund grant, Postgraduate and Research Students Association, ANU (AUD $2,000)

2017

Research Grant, Australian Linguistic Society (AUD $4,626)

Firebird Fellowship, Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research (USD $7,154)

Fellowship, Linguistic Institute, Linguistic Society of America (USD $2,000)

2016

Summer Research Scholarship, Australian National University (AUD $800)

Refereed Conference Papers

2019

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). A novel comparative method for young sign languages: Base comparison. Paper presented at Australian Linguistic Society annual meeting, Macquarie University, Sydney, 12 December. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.11356508

Reed, Lauren. (2019). “Culture sign is my favourite”: Bilingualism and identity in the Port Moresby deaf community. Paper presented at Symposium on Sociolinguistic Variation in Signed and Spoken Languages of the Asia-Pacific Region, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK, 12 July 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9758678

2018

Ellis, Elizabeth Marrkilyi; Green, Jennifer; Reed, Lauren; Simpson, Jane; & Kral, Inge. (2018). An exploration of the handshapes and phonology of Western Desert alternate sign languages. Paper presented at Australian Languages Workshop, Marysville, Victoria, 3 March.

2017

Reed, Lauren & Rumsey, Alan. (2017). Initial observations of mouth action distribution, type, and variation in Kailge Sign Language, an undocumented sign language of Papua New Guinea. Paper presented at Australian Linguistic Society annual conference, University of Sydney, 6 December.

Refereed Conference Posters

2019

Reed, Lauren W & Rumsey, Alan. (2019). Sign networks, and a nucleated network sign language of Papua New Guinea. Poster presented at TISLR13 (Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research), University of Hamburg, 26 September 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9896489

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Co-expression of past and future in a sign language of rural Papua New Guinea. Poster presented at TISLR13 (Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research), University of Hamburg, 27 September 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9901727.v1

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). A sociolinguistic sketch of the Port Moresby deaf community and Papua New Guinea Sign Language. Poster presented at TISLR13 (Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research), University of Hamburg, 28 September 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9896429

2017

Reed, Lauren & Rumsey, Alan. (2017). Initial observations of mouth action type and distribution in an undocumented sign language of Papua New Guinea. Poster presented at the 2017 Linguistic Society of America Linguistic Institute, University of Kentucky, Lexington, 16 July.

Presentations, Seminars and Invited Talks

2023

Reed, Lauren W. and Chong, Jason. (2023). The Fourth National Indigenous Languages Survey. PULiiMA Indigenous Languages and Technology Conference, Darwin, 24 August.

Reed, Lauren W. (2023). Australian Indigenous Sign Languages. Aboriginal Sign Language Forum, University of Sydney, 31 July.

Reed, Lauren W, Chong, Jason and Mount, Alison. (2023). The Fourth National Indigenous Languages Survey (NILS4). Australian Languages Workshop, 22 July.

Reed, Lauren W. and Chong, Jason. (2023). The Fourth National Indigenous Languages Survey: Tracking the Health and Strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages. AIATSIS Summit, Perth, 6 July.

2022

Reed, Lauren W. (2022). Parallel conversation in homesign. Evolutionary Perspectives on Tool Manipulation and Gestural Communication. Annual Symposium, Words Bones Genes Tools DFG Center for Advanced Studies, University of Tuebingen, 14 October.

Reed, Lauren W. (2022). Baby talk in Aksen Bilong Kakuyl. Communicative modality in cross-cultural perspective workshop, Australian National University, 21 July.

2020

Reed, Lauren W. (2020). Widening the lens on "Generation 0". Emergence of Language in Social Interaction (ELISA) kick-off meeting, Tilburg University, 17 December.

Reed, Lauren W. (2020). "Switching caps": Exploring bilingual practices in deaf Port Moresby. Language Talks! seminar series, University of New England, 29 October. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.13159742

Reed, Lauren W. (2020). Sign networks: Insights from Papua New Guinea for sign language typology. CoEDL Fest, University of Queensland, 5 February.

Reed, Lauren W and Rumsey, Alan. (2020). Ku Waru clause chains and the acquisition of complex syntax. CoEDL Fest, University of Queensland, 5 February.

Reed, Lauren W. (2020). Sign linguistics for non-sign linguists (CoEDL Fest crash course series). CoEDL Fest, University of Queensland, 3 February.

2019

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Verb 'agreement' in a sign language of Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Presentation to Deafness, Cognition and Language Research Centre, University College London, 7 October.

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Verb 'agreement' in a sign language from Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Presentation to Sign Pop-Up, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 20 September.

Reed, Lauren. (2019). Understanding and not-understanding among sign language users in the New Guinea Highlands. Presentation to the Rumsey Symposium, Australian National University, 15 August. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9761489

Planer, Ronald J. and Reed, Lauren. (2019). Handling the data: The role of emerging sign languages in the study of language evolution. Presentation to the University of Edinburgh, 17 July.

Reed, Lauren and Rumsey, Alan. (2019). Young sign languages, multimodality and rapid language evolution in Papua New Guinea. Presentation to CoEDL Fest, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 4 February. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9759572

2018

Reed, Lauren; Rumsey, Alan; Merlan, Francesca; & Onga, John. (2018). The communicative ecology of deaf sign languages in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Seminar for the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University, Canberra, 12 October. Presentation available to watch via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNDZPpEJkH0, and slides via https://cloudstor.aarnet.edu.au/plus/s/2ShUz8KKfmK8YaM

Reed, Lauren. (2018). “Now the story’s turning around”: Directionality and associated motion in Ende, a language of southern New Guinea. Presentation to workshop, Directionality or associated motion? Evidence from diverse languages, Australian National University, Canberra, 22 June.

2017

Reed, Lauren & Rumsey, Alan. (2017.) New research on a vernacular sign language in the New Guinea Highlands. Seminar for the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University, Canberra, 18 August.

Reed, Lauren (2017.) ‘Speaking by moving’: Ngaanyatjarra traditional sign language. Presentation to the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University, Canberra, 19 January.

Reed, Lauren. (2017). Primary and alternate sign languages: Auslan and Ngaanyatjarra sign language. Presentation to National Youth Science Forum, Australian National University, Canberra, 5 January.

Community Resources

2018

I designed, filmed and recorded "Gagan: Colours in Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay & Auslan" in partnership with Winanga-Li Aboriginal Child and Family Centre, Gunnedah, New South Wales. The video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1wPrgNv6f8

2017

In conjuction with Kate L. Lindsey and the Ende Language Committee, I worked with the Ende community in Limol, Western Province, Papua New Guinea to transcribe, translate and illustrate two books of hunting and fishing stories in Ende, a Pahoturi River language of PNG:

Corpora

Rumsey, Alan; Andrew Noma; Lauren Reed; Naomi Peck; Charlotte van Tongeren; & Stephanie Yam. ACQDIV portion of the Ku Waru Child Language Socialization Study (KWCLSS).

Contributor to: Lindsey, Kate L. (collector). (2019). Language Corpus of Ende and other Pahoturi River Languages (LSNG08). Digital collection managed by PARADISEC. doi: 10.26278/5c1a5cfcaacde

Academic and Industry Employment

December 2022 - present

Assistant Director (EL1), AIATSIS Centre for Australian Languages, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)

October 2022 - December 2022

Senior Governance and Policy Officer (EL1), Ethics, Privacy & Legal Unit, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)

March 2022 - July 2022

A/g Director (EL2), Education and Ethics, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)

February 2022 - September 2022

Senior Linguist (EL1), Australian Languages Team, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)

September 2021 - March 2022

Assistant Director (EL1), Education and Ethics, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)

April 2021 - September 2021

A/g Research Fellow (Linguistics) (EL1), Indigenous Culture & Policy, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)

October 2020 - March 2021

Project manager (APS6), Ethics and Research Leadership, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)

August 2020 - September 2020

Project officer (APS4), Ethics and Research Leadership, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)

March 2017 - August 2020

Research assistant to Professor Alan Rumsey, Australian National University

January 2020 - June 2020

Course coordinator, co-lecturer and tutor, Australian National University

August 2019 - June 2020

March 2017 - October 2018

Research assistant to Dr Jennifer Green, University of Melbourne

Teaching

2023

Tutor, Tjabal Centre, Australian National University

2021

Guest lecturer, School of Archaeology and Anthropology, Australian National University

Tutor, Tjabal Centre, Australian National University

2020

Coordinator, co-lecturer (with Alexandra Marley) and tutor, Australian National University

Guest lecturer, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University

2019

Tutor, Tjabal Centre, Australian National University

Guest lecturer, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

2018

Guest lecturer, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

Professional Activities and Service

2020-present

Editorial board member, Ishara Research Series

2020-2022

Australasia regional representative, Sign Language Linguistics Society (co-held with Gabrielle Hodge and Rachel McKee)

Member, Sign Language Linguistics Society

2020

Reviewer, ANU Student Research Conference

Reviewer, First Language

Co-organiser (with Alan Rumsey), 'Aksen: Sign, gesture and multimodality in Australia and Papua New Guinea', conference which was to be held at Australian National University, Canberra, 6-8 October. Postponed due to COVID-19.

Co-organiser (with Matthew Carroll and Nick Evans), Papuan Languages Workshop, workshop which was to be held at Australian National University Kioloa Coastal Campus, New South Wales, 27-31 March. Postponed due to COVID-19.

2018

Organiser, 'Directionality or associated motion? Evidence from diverse languages', workshop at Australian National University, Canberra, 22 June.

Founding Member, Australian National University Sign Language Collective

2017-present

Affiliate, Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (acceptance via application)

2016-present

Member, Australian Linguistic Society

Languages

In order of competence: English, Auslan, Tok Pisin, French, Arabic

Non-Academic Work History

Prior to starting in linguistics, I worked as a food writer and food tour guide, specialising in Melbourne's culturally diverse Western suburbs. You can see my old blog here. Prior to that, I worked as an audio typist of medical records and as a waitress. I also taught English to adults in Melbourne on a volunteer basis. I am a mother and stepmother to four unique and wonderful children, born 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2017.

When not doing linguistics...

I am an avid birder and bushwalker. I love long afternoons of cooking elaborate menus, open-world games, fancying of maps, spending time at our cabin on the South Coast of New South Wales, and prosaic and sublime moments with my kids, dog and husband, philosopher of science Dr Ronald J. Planer (the cat is not so keen on joint action). I have a passionate amateur interest in the upper Palaeolithic. I am a keen aquarist and spend much time fussing over my swordtails, guppies, angelfish and plecos.