My Five Year Research/Writing Plan (2024-2029)

In the next five years, I will accomplish the following research and writing projects. There are many other issues that I am interested in, but these are the ones for which I have been able to write up concrete proposals. Surprisingly all of these projects have the flavor of returning to my roots.

1. A comprehensive grammar of the Kpele dialect of Ewe. This is the language that I know best, other than English. I want to combine my years of experience writing Khoisan grammars with my knowledge of Ewe and Kpelegbe, and write a comprehensive grammar. Doing this project will involve fieldwork in Togo during the summers of 2025, 2026 and 2027. It will also require applying for a research permit for Togo during the academic year 2024-2025. I should have a complete draft by Fall 2027.

Grammar of the Kpele Dialect of Ewe

2. An interactive map of Ewe dialects. This is a sister project to the Kpelegbe grammar. Both projects aim to increase knowledge of syntactic variation between Ewe dialects. As opposed to the Kpelegbe grammar, the Ewe dialect map will require a large international team, and significant funding. Therefore, I will have to write up and submit a grant proposal during Fall 2024. Once I get funding, the project will take four years to complete.

Ewe Dialect Map

3. Autobiography. For the last several years I have been assembling materials and writing excerpts of my autobiography. I am interested in how my life fits together, and why I choose the path I did, and what that path has led to. I am also interested in presenting my discoveries for a general audience. It will take me at least two or three more years to complete the writing. Then I need to find a publisher.

The Autobiography of Christopher Thad Collins

4. Quotative Inversion. One of my first syntactic loves was quotative inversion. I discovered many things about it early on in my career. Now, I would like to return to it, and see what more can be said. I will give a seminar on quotative inversion during academic year 2025-2026. It should take two years to write.

Quotative Inversion Monograph