Tania Kuteva, born in Bourgas, Bulgaria, in 1958. Ph.D. from the University of Sofia. Professor of English Linguistics at the Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf.
Fellow (1 February – 30 June 2006)
GRAMMATICALIZATION AS A WINDOW ON LANGUAGE PHYLOGENY
During my five-month stay at NIAS, I finalized – jointly with Bernd Heine – two book manuscripts: (i) Heine, Bernd and Tania Kuteva 2006. The changing languages of Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press, and (ii) Heine, Bernd and Tania Kuteva. Reconstructing the evolution of grammar. (submitted to Oxford University Press). I was also able to finish an article with Bernd Heine for a volume, and another with John Haiman and Bernd Heine for a peer-reviewed journal. Finally, I was in a position to start work on an in-depth study of a recently identified grammatical category called the avertive.
NIAS has made an invaluable contribution to my research in a number of respects. The high intellectual standards manifested in the selection of the NIAS fellows and guests, provided a fertile intellectual atmosphere triggering ideas I would not have otherwise come up with. The seminars and all the other social events as well as in informal gatherings were conducted in an atmossphere of mutual respect and good-will. The intellectual and financial generosity at NIAS supported us even at the initial, “immature” stages of developing our theses, theories, etc.The efficiency of the library service, which I cannot compare to any other service at any other research institution I have been so far and the efficiency of the NIAS staff, made it possible to start working on our projects right from the first day. Finally, the kindness and cordiality of the ruling body and each and every member staff made us feel so welcome at NIAS.