Geoffrey Sampson
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Sampson is Professor of Natural Language Computing in the Department of Informatics
, University of Sussex
.
He produces annotation standards for compiling corpora
(databases) of ordinary usage of the English language. These involve specifying whether usage is spoken or written, and other demographic
information, like age, gender and occupation. His work has been applied in automatic language-understanding software, and in writing-skills training. He has also analysed Ronald Coase
's "theory of the firm" and the economic and political implications of e-business.
Sampson is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
, the British Computer Society
and the Higher Education Academy
.
He is also a Chartered Information Technology Professional. He holds three MA degrees, one each from Cambridge, Yale
and Oxford (by incorporation). Sampson attended Bristol Grammar School
, matriculating
to study Oriental Studies
at St John's College, Cambridge
. After graduating from St. John's he went down to Yale, conducting research in the Linguistics
and Engineering & Applied Science departments. He was awarded a doctorate
by Cambridge under the special regulations, his published work was deemed to comprise "a significant contribution to scholarship".
His academic career has included work in Oriental languages, linguistics
and computing
, with side interests in philosophy
, and political and economic
thought. He lectured at the London School of Economics
, the University of Lancaster and the University of Leeds
before moving to Sussex in 1991.
Sampson is widely known for academic papers criticising the linguistic nativist
movement, including the arguments of proponents such as Noam Chomsky
, Jerry Fodor
and Steven Pinker
. Sampson critically engaged with Pinker's 1994 book The Language Instinct
, in his own book The 'Language Instinct' Debate, the first edition of which, published in 1997, was entitled Educating Eve. To date, Pinker has not published responses to the criticisms.
Sampson is cited
twice as an authority on writing system
s in Encyclopædia Britannica
.
Sampson describes himself as a politically active man. He was elected to Wealden
District Council in 2001, serving until 2002 with the local Conservative Party
branch. He resigned this position after he was attacked by Labour Party
and Liberal Democrat
ministers and councillors for publishing on his website an article, There's Nothing Wrong With Racism (Except the Name), containing a number of racially sensitive claims. The outcome was subsequently endorsed by Conservative Central Office
as "in the best interests of all concerned ...the Conservative party is opposed to all forms of racial discrimination". Some time later he left the Conservative Party and in 2006 joined the United Kingdom Independence Party
.
essays
articles
reviews
Informatics (academic field)
Informatics is the science of information, the practice of information processing, and the engineering of information systems. Informatics studies the structure, algorithms, behavior, and interactions of natural and artificial systems that store, process, access and communicate information...
, University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
.
He produces annotation standards for compiling corpora
Corpus linguistics
Corpus linguistics is the study of language as expressed in samples or "real world" text. This method represents a digestive approach to deriving a set of abstract rules by which a natural language is governed or else relates to another language. Originally done by hand, corpora are now largely...
(databases) of ordinary usage of the English language. These involve specifying whether usage is spoken or written, and other demographic
Demography
Demography is the statistical study of human population. It can be a very general science that can be applied to any kind of dynamic human population, that is, one that changes over time or space...
information, like age, gender and occupation. His work has been applied in automatic language-understanding software, and in writing-skills training. He has also analysed Ronald Coase
Ronald Coase
Ronald Harry Coase is a British-born, American-based economist and the Clifton R. Musser Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Chicago Law School. After studying with the University of London External Programme in 1927–29, Coase entered the London School of Economics, where he took...
's "theory of the firm" and the economic and political implications of e-business.
Sampson is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
, the British Computer Society
British Computer Society
The British Computer Society, is a professional body and a learned society that represents those working in Information Technology in the United Kingdom and internationally...
and the Higher Education Academy
Higher Education Academy
The Higher Education Academy is an independent organisation in the United Kingdom that supports higher education institutions with strategies for the development of research and evaluation to improve the learning experience for students.-History:...
.
He is also a Chartered Information Technology Professional. He holds three MA degrees, one each from Cambridge, Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and Oxford (by incorporation). Sampson attended Bristol Grammar School
Bristol Grammar School
Bristol Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England. The school was founded in 1532 by two brothers, Robert and Nicholas Thorne....
, matriculating
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
to study Oriental Studies
Orientalism
Orientalism is a term used for the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists, as well as having other meanings...
at St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
. After graduating from St. John's he went down to Yale, conducting research in the Linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
and Engineering & Applied Science departments. He was awarded a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
by Cambridge under the special regulations, his published work was deemed to comprise "a significant contribution to scholarship".
His academic career has included work in Oriental languages, linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
and computing
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
, with side interests in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, and political and economic
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
thought. He lectured at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, the University of Lancaster and the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
before moving to Sussex in 1991.
Sampson is widely known for academic papers criticising the linguistic nativist
Psychological nativism
In the field of psychology, nativism is the view that certain skills or abilities are 'native' or hard wired into the brain at birth. This is in contrast to empiricism, the 'blank slate' or tabula rasa view, which states that the brain has inborn capabilities for learning from the environment but...
movement, including the arguments of proponents such as Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
, Jerry Fodor
Jerry Fodor
Jerry Alan Fodor is an American philosopher and cognitive scientist. He holds the position of State of New Jersey Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University and is the author of many works in the fields of philosophy of mind and cognitive science, in which he has laid the groundwork for the...
and Steven Pinker
Steven Pinker
Steven Arthur Pinker is a Canadian-American experimental psychologist, cognitive scientist, linguist and popular science author...
. Sampson critically engaged with Pinker's 1994 book The Language Instinct
The Language Instinct
The Language Instinct is a book by Steven Pinker for a general audience, published in 1994. In it, Pinker argues that humans are born with an innate capacity for language. In addition, he deals sympathetically with Noam Chomsky's claim that all human language shows evidence of a universal grammar...
, in his own book The 'Language Instinct' Debate, the first edition of which, published in 1997, was entitled Educating Eve. To date, Pinker has not published responses to the criticisms.
Sampson is cited
Citation
Broadly, a citation is a reference to a published or unpublished source . More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression Broadly, a citation is a reference to a published or unpublished source (not always the original source). More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated...
twice as an authority on writing system
Writing system
A writing system is a symbolic system used to represent elements or statements expressible in language.-General properties:Writing systems are distinguished from other possible symbolic communication systems in that the reader must usually understand something of the associated spoken language to...
s in Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
.
Sampson describes himself as a politically active man. He was elected to Wealden
Wealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
District Council in 2001, serving until 2002 with the local Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
branch. He resigned this position after he was attacked by Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
ministers and councillors for publishing on his website an article, There's Nothing Wrong With Racism (Except the Name), containing a number of racially sensitive claims. The outcome was subsequently endorsed by Conservative Central Office
Conservative Campaign Headquarters
Conservative Campaign Headquarters , formerly known as Conservative Central Office is the headquarters of the British Conservative Party, housing its central staff and committee members....
as "in the best interests of all concerned ...the Conservative party is opposed to all forms of racial discrimination". Some time later he left the Conservative Party and in 2006 joined the United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
.
Selection of publications
monographs- The Form of Language (Weidenfeld & NicolsonWeidenfeld & NicolsonWeidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd is a British publisher of fiction and reference books. It is a division of the Orion Publishing Group.-History:...
, 1975) - Liberty and Language (OxfordOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 1979) - Making Sense (OxfordOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 1980) - Schools of Linguistics: Competition and Evolution (HutchinsonHutchinson (publisher)Hutchinson & Co. was an English book publisher, founded in 1887. The company merged with Century Publishing in 1985 to form Century Hutchinson, and was folded into the British Random House Group in 1989, where it remains as an imprint in the Cornerstone Publishing division...
, 1980) - Writing Systems (Anchor Brenton Ltd., 1985)
- Educating Eve: The 'Language Instinct' DebateEducating Eve: The 'Language Instinct' DebateEducating Eve: The 'Language Instinct' Debate is a book by Geoffrey Sampson, providing arguments against Noam Chomsky's theory of a human instinct for language acquisition. Sampson explains the original title of the book as a deliberate allusion to Educating Rita , and uses the plot of that play...
(ContinuumContinuum International Publishing GroupThe Continuum International Publishing Group is a publisher of books, with its editorial offices in London and New York City. It had been owned by Nova Capital Management since 2005...
, 1997) - Empirical Linguistics (ContinuumContinuum International Publishing GroupThe Continuum International Publishing Group is a publisher of books, with its editorial offices in London and New York City. It had been owned by Nova Capital Management since 2005...
, 2001)
essays
- "From central embedding to corpus linguistics" in Using Corpora for Language Research (LongmanLongmanLongman was a publishing company founded in London, England in 1724. It is now an imprint of Pearson Education.-Beginnings:The Longman company was founded by Thomas Longman , the son of Ezekiel Longman , a gentleman of Bristol. Thomas was apprenticed in 1716 to John Osborn, a London bookseller, and...
, 1996)
articles
- "What was transformational grammar?" LinguaLinguaLingua: An International Review of General Linguistics is a peer-reviewed academic journal of general linguistics that was established in 1949 and is published by Elsevier. Its current editor-in-chief is Johan Rooryck ....
48 (1979): 355–78. - "Popperian language-acquisition undefeated". British Journal for the Philosophy of ScienceBritish Journal for the Philosophy of ScienceBritish Journal for the Philosophy of Science is a philosophy journal that encourages the use of philosophical methods in addressing issues raised in the natural and human sciences....
31 (1980): 63–67. - "Depth in English grammar". Journal of LinguisticsJournal of LinguisticsThe Journal of Linguistics is a peer-reviewed journal in linguistics, and the official publication of the Linguistics Association of Great Britain. It has been published by Cambridge University Press since 1965, and covers all branches of theoretical linguistics. The current editors are Nigel Fabb...
33 (1997): 131–51. - "Grammatical depth: a rejoinder". Computational LinguisticsComputational linguisticsComputational linguistics is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the statistical or rule-based modeling of natural language from a computational perspective....
25 (1999): xx–xx. - "Briefly noted - English for the computer: the SUSANNE corpus and analytic scheme". Computational LinguisticsComputational linguisticsComputational linguistics is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the statistical or rule-based modeling of natural language from a computational perspective....
28 (2002): xx–xx. - "Word frequency distributions". Computational LinguisticsComputational linguisticsComputational linguistics is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the statistical or rule-based modeling of natural language from a computational perspective....
28 (2002): xx–xx. - "The myth of diminishing firms". Communications of the ACMCommunications of the ACMCommunications of the ACM is the flagship monthly journal of the Association for Computing Machinery . First published in 1957, CACM is sent to all ACM members, currently numbering about 80,000. The articles are intended for readers with backgrounds in all areas of computer science and information...
46 (2003): xx–xx. - "A test of the leaf-ancestor metric for parse accuracy" Natural Language Engineering 9 (2003): xx–xx. [with Anna Babarczy]
- "Definitional, personal, and mechanical constraints on part of speech annotation performance". Natural Language Engineering 12 (2006): xx–xx. [with Anna Babarczy and John Carroll (not John M CarrollJohn M. Carroll (information scientist)John M. Carroll is currently Edward M. Frymoyer Professor of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State. Carroll is perhaps best known for his theory of Minimalism in computer instruction, training, and technical communication...
)]
reviews
- Stephen Pinker, Words and Rules for Times Higher Education Supplement 12 May (2000): 22–23.
External links
- Geoffrey Sampson — staff bio page @ official University of SussexUniversity of SussexThe University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
website - Geoffrey Sampson — personal website
- James W. Ney. "What was transformational grammar?" Language SciencesLanguage SciencesLanguage Sciences is a peer-reviewed journal published six times a year by Elsevier. The editor is Nigel Love of the University of Cape Town.- External links :* — official journal page at publisher's website...
9 (1987): 231–242.