Background and activities

I am Associate Professor (førsteamanuensis) of Modern English Language and Linguistics in the Department of Language and Literature. I received my undergraduate MA in Linguistics from the University of Edinburgh in 2008, an MA in Syntax from University College London in 2009, and a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2014. Prior to starting at NTNU in 2015, I was a postdoctoral researcher in the English department of Ghent University in Belgium.

I am/have been responsible for teaching a number of courses in the section's and department's language portfolio. I focus on theoretical linguistics and syntax and semantics (ENG1101 English Linguistics, ENG2155 Theoretical Approaches to English Language, ENG3110 Special Subject in English Language, SPRÅK3002 Theories in Linguistics, SPRÅK3200 Semantics and Pragmatics), but have also taught in ENG1001 Global English and SPRÅK3001 Methods in Linguistics. I am also interested in advising student theses (at BA, MA, or PhD level) on any subject within theoretical linguistics, in particular syntax and semantics, or concerning (formal/grammatical aspects of) varieties of English.

Academic interests

I specialize in generative, theoretical linguistics. I am particularly interested in interfaces between the core linguistic 'modules' of syntax, semantics, and phonology/prosody. My work in this area particularly focuses on ellipsis (especially clausal ellipsis). I am also interested in comparative syntax and microvariation -- particularly syntactic and semantic features of dialects of English, especially Scottish English, and of ‘reduced written register’ such as diaries, text messages, headlines etc. I am a member of the AcqVA (Acquisition, Variation and Attrition) research group.

My personal website contains more details and copies of papers etc. (some 'in press, to appear, submitted' etc. which do not appear in the below automatically-generated list).

Scientific, academic and artistic work

A selection of recent journal publications, artistic productions, books, including book and report excerpts. See all publications in the database

Journal publications

Part of book/report

  • Weir, Andrew. (2022) Fragments and left-edge ellipsis: The division of labour between syntax, semantics, and prosody. The Derivational Timing of Ellipsis.
  • Weir, Andrew. (2020) Negative fragment answers. The Oxford Handbook of Negation.
  • Weir, Andrew. (2019) Diary null subjects: an analogy with imperatives?. Mapping linguistic data: essays in honour of Liliane Haegeman.
  • Weir, Andrew. (2018) Cointensional questions, fragment answers, and structured meanings. Proceedings of Sinn und Bedeutung 21.
  • Weir, Andrew. (2018) Structurally ambiguous 'again' without lexical decomposition: a Function Composition approach. NELS 48: Proceedings of the 48th Annual Meeting of the North East Linguistics Society.
  • Bogal-Allbritten, Elizabeth; Weir, Andrew. (2017) Sentential and possibly subsentential modification: the ambiguity of Collins conjunctions. NELS 47: Proceedings of the Forty-Seventh Annual Meeting of the North East Linguistic Society: Volume 1.
  • Weir, Andrew. (2017) But write what?. A Schrift to Fest Kyle Johnson.
  • Weir, Andrew. (2017) DP-be-CP constructions and the licensing of clausal ellipsis. NELS 47: Proceedings of the Forty-Seventh Annual Meeting of the North East Linguistic Society: Volume 3.
  • Haegeman, Liliane; Weir, Andrew. (2016) Finiteness and response particles in West Flemish. Finiteness Matters. On finiteness-related phenomena in natural languages.
  • Haegeman, Liliane; Weir, Andrew. (2015) The cartography of 'yes' and 'no' in West Flemish. Discourse-oriented Syntax.
  • Weir, Andrew. (2015) Fragment answers and 'exceptional movement under ellipsis': A PF-movement account. NELS 45: Proceedings of the 45th Meeting of the North East Linguistic Society: Volume 3.
  • Weir, Andrew. (2014) Fragment answers and the Question under Discussion. NELS 44: Proceedings of the 44th Meeting of the North East Linguistic Society: Volume 2.
  • Weir, Andrew. (2014) 'Why'-stripping targets Voice Phrase. NELS 43: Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the North East Linguistic Society: Volume Two.
  • Weir, Andrew. (2013) The syntax of imperatives in Scots. After the Storm: Papers from the Forum for Research on the Languages of Scotland and Ulster triennial meeting, Aberdeen 2012.