Discovering Linguistics: Typological Treats

Dr Solveiga Armoskaite has received her doctoral degree from the Linguistics Department at University of British Columbia (Canada). The department is known first and foremost for its dedication to the documentation and revitalization of endangered First Nations languages in British Columbia and beyond. The emphasis is on the balance between primary data collection, theoretical analysis cultural partnerships with the communities in question. As a result of this training, Dr Armoskaite became an experienced fieldworker and typologist. She worked on: Yoruba (Kwa), Plains Cree, East Cree and Blackfoot (all three Algonquian), Finnish (Fino-Ugric), Lithuanian and Russian (Balto-Slavic). The research equipped her with experiences working in diverse languages and cultures. Most of her current courses address intercultural communication, with an additional twist of focusing on underrepresented indigenous thought.

Dr Armoskaite has extensive teaching experience at diverse universities, primarily in North America. She has taught at Carleton University, which has a great number of international students and the highest number (at the time, in the province of Ontario) of first time college applicants. She also taught at Ottawa University, one of the bilingual universities of Canada. Here at Rochester (US), Dr Armoskaite served yet another student population: REJI (Rochester Education Justice Initiative). As stated on the mission page of REJI, ‘college can be a sustaining and transformative force in the lives of incarcerated individuals, furnishing them with skills and resources to enable community reintegration.’

Besides culture-oriented courses, Dr Armoskaite focuses on language. She has enjoyed teaching linguistics, English and academic writing since 2002. Her MA degree in TESOL and her Ph D in linguistics make her a good fit for the Writing program; however, she also teaches linguistic courses on Modern English Grammar and Language in Advertising. Lastly, she volunteers as an art docent at the Memorial Art Gallery, indulging in the life-long passion for art and art history.