Kenneth S. Olson, Ph.D.

Senior Linguistics Consultant

Degrees

  • Ph.D., Linguistics, University of Chicago, 2001
  • M.A., Linguistics, University of Texas at Arlington, 1991
  • B.S., Electrical and Electronics Engineering, North Dakota State University, 1986

Current positions

  • Certified Senior Linguistics Consultant, SIL International, 2012–2016, 2017–2021, 2022–
  • Linguistics Consultant, SIL Central African Republic Service Team, 2016–

Other professional experience and service

  • International Phonetic Association Committee on Alphabet, Charts, and Fonts, 2017–
  • Chercheur Associé [Assoc. Researcher], Laboratoire Parole et Langage [Speech & Language Lab], 2012–2015
  • Adjunct Professor, Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics (GIAL), 2004–2014
  • International Linguistics Consultant, 2011–2012
  • Associate International Linguistics Coordinator, SIL International, 2003–2010
  • Adjunct Professor, University of North Dakota, 2004–2009
  • Visiting Professor, Faculté de Théologie Évangélique de Bangui, 2001–2004
  • Lecturer
        • University of North Dakota, 1997, 2016
        • Northwest Christian College, 2002, 2005
        • SIL European Training Programme, 2003
        • University of Oregon, 1999–2000
        • Cours d’Introduction à la Linguistique [Intro. to Linguistics], Lamorlaye, France, 1995
  • Field Linguist, Mono language, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1993–1995, 1998, 2001
  • Electrical Engineer, Mayo Foundation, 1986–1989

Professional memberships

  • Association of Contemporary African Linguistics, 2018–
  • International Phonetic Association, 1999–
  • Linguistic Society of America, 1996–

Language proficiencies

  • English (eng): ILR 5
  • French (fra): ILR 3
  • Lingala (lin): ILR 2

Research interests

  • Mono language (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
  • Phonological theory
  • Articulatory and acoustic phonetics
  • Historical linguistics
  • Language documentation
United States
Publications: 

Selected publications

Olson, Kenneth S. 2022. The nonexistence of the plain bilabial trill phoneme. Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America (PLSA) 7(1):5239. https://doi.org/10.3765/plsa.v7i1.5239.

Olson, Kenneth S., and M. Paul Lewis. 2018. The Ethnologue and L2 mapping. In Ericka A. Albaugh, and Kathryn M. de Luna (eds.), Tracing language movement in Africa, 45–65. Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190657543.003.0003.

Olson, Kenneth S. 2015. The bilabial trills in Port Sandwich (Vanuatu) in 1774. Diachronica 32(1):105–114. https://doi.org/10.1075/dia.32.1.04ols.

Olson, Kenneth S., D. William Reiman, Fernando Sabio, and Filipe Alberto da Silva. 2013. The voiced linguolabial plosive in Kajoko. Journal of West African Languages 40(2):61–71. https://www.sil.org/resources/archives/96869.

Mielke, Jeff, Kenneth S. Olson, Adam Baker, and Diana Archangeli. 2011. Articulation of the Kagayanen interdental approximant: An ultrasound study. Journal of Phonetics 39(3):403–412.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wocn.2011.02.008.

Olson, Kenneth S. 2009. SIL International: An emic view. Language 85(3):646–658.  https://doi.org/10.1353/lan.0.0156.

Soderberg, Craig D., and Kenneth S. Olson. 2008. Illustrations of the IPA: Indonesian. Journal of the International Phonetic Association 38(2):209–213.  https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025100308003320.

Olson, Kenneth S. 2005. The phonology of Mono. Publications in Linguistics 140. SIL International and The University of Texas at Arlington. Dallas: SIL. https://www.sil.org/resources/archives/8533.

Olson, Kenneth S., and John Hajek. 2003. Crosslinguistic insights on the labial flap. Linguistic Typology 7(2):157–186.  https://doi.org/10.1515/lity.2003.014.

Olson, Kenneth S., and John Hajek. 1999. The phonetic status of the labial flap. Journal of the International Phonetic Association 29(2):101–114. https://www.sil.org/resources/archives/3616.

Other

Thomason, Sarah G., and Kenneth S. Olson. 2016. Sound suppression and sound change. Plenary paper presented at the 52nd Regional Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society, Chicago. April 21–23, 2016.

Olson, Kenneth S. 2012. Is Ubangi a part of Niger-Congo? The case of prothesis in Banda. Paper presented at the Towards Proto-Niger Congo: Comparison and Reconstruction International Congress, Paris. September 18–21, 2012.

Olson, Kenneth S. 2011. Crosslinguistic insights on bilabial trills. Invited paper presented at the Laboratoire Parole et Langage, Aix-en-Provence, France. November 4, 2011.

Olson, Kenneth S. 2003. Word minimality and non-surface-apparent opacity in Mono. Paper presented at the Fourth World Congress of African Linguistics, New Brunswick, New Jersey. June 17–22, 2003.

Olson, Kenneth S., (with Paul Schultz). 2001. Can [sonorant] spread? Paper presented at the 75th Linguistic Society of America annual meeting, Washington, DC. January 4–7, 2001.

Olson, Kenneth S. 1996. On the comparison and classification of Banda dialects. Paper presented at the 32nd Regional Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society, Chicago. April 15–18, 1996.

 

Works by this author in SIL Language & Culture Archives