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linguistic research

Benjamin has a strong research background in linguistics. Benjamin is skilled in efficient transcription, data processing and management, phonetic analysis, and quantitative analysis. Furthermore, he has experience in experiment design, data collection, interview techniques, and linguistic fieldwork. He is a skilled communicator, presenting conference papers on his research and tutoring linguistics at a tertiary level. He has several years’ experience work on research projects in across the university and corporate sectors. Benjamin is goal-oriented and rigorous in his approach to research.

Benjamin is available for assistance with research projects, including:

  • data collection, participant recruitment, and interviewing
  • transcription, data annotation, and processing
  • phonetic and quantitative analysis
  • hands-on coaching of voice talent for recording speech corpora
  • quality assessment of language databases and data management

He is also available for consulting on a range of linguistic topics.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours, First Class) – Australian National University (2011-2014)
    • University Medallist
  • Master of Speech Language Pathology – University of Sydney (2021-2022)
    • Speech Pathology Australia Student Award (WAM 93)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Linguistics) – Australian National University (2025-Present)
    • Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship

Professional Memberships and Accreditations

  • Accredited Linguist, Australian Linguistic Society
  • Certified Practising Speech Pathologist, Speech Pathology Australia
  • Member, Australian Voice Association
  • Member, Voice and Speech Trainers Association
  • Editorial Board Member, Voice and Speech Review

Publications and presentations

  • Purser, B. (2025). Covariation of diphthongs in Australian English. Language Variation and Change – Australia (LVC-A) 7, Griffith University, December 4.
  • Purser, B. (2024). ‘would have been, would’ve been, would of been’: Realisation of modal perfect infinitive constructions in Australian English. Australian Linguistic Society annual conference, Australian National University, November 26-29.
  • Purser, B. (2024, September 30). Australian accents on screen: Yeah-nah or nah-yeah? The Big Smoke. https://thebigsmoke.com.au/2024/09/30/australian-accents-on-screen-yeah-nah-or-nah-yeah/
  • Purser, B. (2024). Using variationist sociolinguistic research to inform dialect coaching for performance: addressing a methodological gap. Methods in Dialectology XVIII, La Trobe University, July 1-4.
  • Travis, C. E., Grama, J., González, S., Purser, B., & Johnstone, C. (2023). Sydney Speaks Corpus. ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University. https://dx.doi.org/10.25911/m03c-yz22
  • Travis, C. E., Grama, J., & Purser, B. (2023). Stability and change in (ing): ethnic and grammatical variation over time in Australian English. English World Wide, 44(3), 429-463. https://doi.org/10.1075/eww.22043.tra
  • Purser, B. (2023). “of course it’s changed, it’s definitely changed”: Adverbs of evidentiality in Australian English. Language Variation and Change – Australia (LVC-A) 6, University of Sydney, November 30.
  • Purser, B. (2023, August 24). Speech Pathology Week: How Australia is pioneering the use of AI in this field. The Big Smoke. https://thebigsmoke.com.au/2023/08/24/speech-pathology-week-how-australia-is-pioneering-the-use-of-ai-in-this-field/
  • Purser, B. (2023). Adverbs of evidentiality in Australian English. Fifth Meeting of the International Society for the Linguistics of English (ISLE7), University of Queensland, June 19.
  • Purser, B. (2022). Vowel variation of either and again in Australian English. Fifth Forum on Englishes in Australia, La Trobe University, October 7.
  • Purser, B. (2022). Impacts of mask-wearing on performers: insights from a dialect and voice coaching perspective. Paper presented at Australian Voice Association annual conference, University of Technology Sydney, August 12-13.
  • Purser, B. (2022). Methods of dialect instruction: expanding the evidence base. Paper presented at Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA) annual conference, Sonoma State University (California), July 13-17.
  • Travis, C., Purser, B., & Grama, J. (2021). Stability and change in (ing) over 40 years in Australian English: Ethnicity, gender and social class. Paper presented at Language Variation and Change – Australia (LVC-A) 5, La Trobe University, December 7-9.
  • Travis, C., Purser, B., Sheard, E., & Qiao, G. (2021). Examin(ing) social class in Australia. Paper presented at Fourth Forum on Englishes in Australia, La Trobe University, August 27.
  • Szakay, A., Cox, F., Gibson, A., & Purser, B. (2021). Gladys Berejiklian’s variable pronunciation of “Dr Chant” in COVID-19 press conferences. Paper presented at Fourth Forum on Englishes in Australia, La Trobe University, August 27.
  • Purser, B. (2021). Book Review: American Accent Drills for British and Australian Speakers, by Amanda Quaid. Voice and Speech Review, published online 12 August 2021. https://doi.org/10.1080/23268263.2021.1966941
  • Purser, B. (2021). Book Review: Anatomy of the Voice, an illustrated guide for singers, vocal coaches, and speech therapists, by Theodore Dimon. Voice and Speech Review, 15(3), 370-372. https://doi.org/10.1080/23268263.2020.1838746
  • Purser, B. (2021). Book Review: Now You’re Talking, The Story of Human Conversation from the Neanderthals to Artificial Intelligence, by Trevor Cox. Voice and Speech Review, 15(1), 119-121. https://doi.org/10.1080/23268263.2020.1800223
  • Purser, B., Grama, J., & Travis, C. (2020). Australian English over time: Using sociolinguistic analysis to inform dialect coaching. Voice and Speech Review, 14(3), 269-291. https://doi.org/10.1080/23268263.2020.1750791
  • Purser, B. (2020). Book Review: Second Dialect Acquisition, by Jeff Siegel. Voice and Speech Review, 14(2), 242-245.
  • Purser, B., Travis, C., & Grama, J. (2019). Social class in Australia: constructing meaningful grouping for real time vowel analysis. Paper presented at Australian Linguistic Society annual conference, Macquarie University, December 11-13.
  • Purser, B. (2015). A case study of formant frequency differences and children’s social relationships. Paper presented at Australian Linguistic Society annual conference, Western Sydney University, December 9-11.

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