Songjun He

I am a DPhil student in Linguistics at the University of Oxford, working on the phonology of Manchu, a critically endangered Tungusic language. My research focuses on feature changes, stress, and the effects of language contact. Broadly, my work aims to understand how phonological systems evolve under conditions of endangerment and intense contact with dominant languages. In particular, I am interested in how data from Manchu can inform and challenge existing phonological theory, including the application of metrical phonology to under-documented systems.

My work combines fieldwork, experimental methods, and quantitative analysis. I have conducted independent fieldwork in Sanjiazi Village in Northeast China, where I designed assessment frameworks and collected both qualitative and quantitative data from the remaining speakers. Manchu presents a relatively unusual case among endangered languages in that it has a rich written tradition but severely limited spoken data, allowing me to explore how historical textual resources interact with contemporary phonological variation. Alongside this, I have been involved in laboratory-based research on prosody and language processing, including EEG studies on stress perception.

More broadly, I am interested in the relationship between language, cognition, and social context, particularly in underrepresented communities. My experience working with refugee learners and developing accessible linguistic materials has shaped my perspective on how linguistic theory and research can be applied to support more inclusive and context-sensitive approaches to language learning.