Robert Stéphane

Robert Stéphane is a Research Professor and Director of Research 1st class at the CNRS lab LLACAN (Language, languages and cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa). He has held leadership roles including Chair of the French national Consortium 'Typology and Linguistic Universals' (2002–2013) and Director of the CNRS Research Group on 'Language's Diversity and Evolution: Cognitive Implications' (1999–2002). His main country of residence is France.

Educational Background:

• Habilitation in Linguistics, University Paris 7 (1996)
• PhD in Theoretical Linguistics, University Paris 7 (1989)
• MA in African Linguistics, University Paris 3 (1985)
• M2 in Theoretical Linguistics (University Paris 7) and BA in African Linguistics (University Paris 3), 1984
• Agrégation de grammaire (1983)
• BA in Indian Studies (Sanskrit), University Paris 3 (1982)
• MA in Classical Studies (Ancient Greek), University Paris 4 (1981)
• Ecole Normale Supérieure (Paris), 1980–1985

Research Interests: Focuses on African linguistics (especially Atlantic languages), information structure interfaces, cognitive linguistics, grammaticalization, and theoretical linguistics. He has pioneered work on corpus annotation for underdocumented languages and the cognitive implications of linguistic models.

Awards: Honors include the Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur (2013), Corresponding Membership at the Royal Academy of Belgium (2012), and the CNRS Bronze Medal (1994).

Grants & Leadership: Secured EU H2020 funding for the 'DReaM' project (2018–2020), led ANR's 'Sénélangues' initiative (2009–2014), and managed contracts for the 'Langues de France' database. Collaborated on interdisciplinary programs like the EU-funded INDIREA training network.

Labs/Teams: Directs LLACAN, a CNRS unit specializing in African languages and cultures, and contributed to initiatives such as the 'Cognitique' program and the NWO Endangered Languages fund.