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Britta Gemmeke
PhD student and research assistant at the Romance department of the University of Siegen
Host university: University of Orléans
Period of stay: 12 September - 8 October 2022
About me
In 2020, I started working as a research assistant at the Romance department of the University of Siegen at the chair of Prof. Dr. Britta Thörle. I am currently writing my PhD thesis on syllable-related pronunciation issues in French L2. My research interests include phonology, second language acquisition, and oral French.
Preparations
I learned about the possibility for a one-month research visit in one of the ATHENA universitites via a mailing list and I knew immediately that I would like to take the opportunity to perform a research stay in Orléans (France). I already had broad connections to some researchers at the Laboratoire Ligérien de Linguistique (LLL) in Orléans because of a ATHENA research project called "ESLO pour la formation universitaire: FLE et sciences du langage" under the direction of Britta Thörle (University of Siegen) and Marie Skrovec (University of Orléans) which tests the use of ESLO as resource in academic teaching.
After the selection process, we got all the necessary information regarding the organisation of the stay via mail. Additionally, there was a meeting with the ATHENA staff members who presented the ATHENA European University and answered our questions. Before my stay, I also got in touch with Marie Skrovec, my contact person in Orléans. Together we determined the contents of my stay.
Contents of the stay and benefits for the work
One of the main goals of my visit to the University of Orléans was to get more detailed insights into the French university system from the perspective of a researcher. Furthermore, I wanted to get in touch with experts in the field of my dissertation. It was especially beneficial for me that I could work with Céline Dugua who is a specialist in phonology and language aquisition working at the University of Orléans.
Moreover, I aimed at enlarging my research profile by working with the ESLO corpus which constitutes one of the largest databases for spoken French and which is hosted by the LLL. During my stay, the colleagues in Orléans and me were able to advance the beforementioned project. I also learned how to use the TXM software to annotate oral corpora. All in all, the collaboration within the team was considerably facilitated and enriched during my stay.
The most exciting moment of my stay was probably when I presented my thesis project in front of numerous members of the LLL and master's students. The feedback included some very useful questions and comments which I will take into account for my furhter research.
I would definitely recommend visiting the University of Orléans to my colleagues because I was warmly welcomed and immediately integrated into the research activities. A stay will be benificial for everyone interested in the topics covered at the LLL.
Life in Orléans
Orléans has a beautiful old town with an impressive cathedral and various other historical buildings. Furthermore, it is very charming with its narrow streets, little boutiques and bars as well as the river Loire where one can relax or go for a walk. The main campus of the University of Orléans is out of town but there is a tram at frequent intervals which takes approximately 30 minutes from the city centre to the university.
Conclusion
I only had vague ideas and expectations prior to my visit but during those four weeks I learned so much more than I thought. In particular, I am thankful for the support of the colleagues on the site who made my stay a very pleasant and productive experience.
My experience in a nutshell
My research visit at the University of Orléans was highly beneficial for my dissertation project and other future research as I could work with experts in my field, got to know new methodologies and research perspectives and gained a deeper insight into the French research system.
