Assistant University

Bezza Tesfaw Ayalew

Linguist, Data Analyst

*** *. ******* ***. ***. #108 - Urbana, IL 61802

*******@*****.*** - 217-***-****

I am a linguist by profession with reliable programming, data analysis, and web designing skills using the following

programing and scripting languages: Python, C#, Java, PHP, Javascript, and SQL. I also have years of work experience in

teaching, research, and academic administration which earned me excellent decision making and organizational skills.

My research interest is in Lexicology including Morphology, Lexical Semantics, and Terminology. I am particularly interested

in exploring the systematic relationship between sound and meaning. In this regard I have attempted to demonstrate the

phonosemantics of some Amharic consonants in my Ph.D. dissertation.

WORK EXPERIENCE.

Expert linguist

Second Language Testing Inc (SLTI) - June 2011 to January 2012

• Providing linguistic data on Amharic language

• Analyzing and evaluating linguistic data

Assistant to the Languages Program Director

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Urbana, IL - June 2006 to May 2011

• Supervising the teaching assistants of the African Languages Program

• Promoting the African Languages Program

• Administering the website of the program

• Assisting the director in planning and executing Summer Institutes

• Organizing events and extra-curricular activities for Summer Institutes

• Searching the University’s database for relevant enrollment and course information for the languages

program to demonstrate the enrollment statistical trends, work load of the language instructors, and

create current class schedules using Microsoft Excel

• Office management and other clerical duties

Language consultant

Transparent Language Inc. (TLI) - February 2010 to August 2010

• Providing linguistic data on Amharic language

• Analyzing and evaluating linguistic data

Project Coordinator

National African Language Resource Center (NALRC) University of Wisconsin-Madison - Madison,

WI - August 2005 to May 2006

• Preparing projects for teaching materials preparations

• Formatting teaching materials for publishing

• Office management

Graduate Assistant, Assistant Lecturer, Lecturer

Addis Ababa University - Addis Ababa - September 1990 to May 2005

Courses Taught:

1. Amharic language for Foreigners

2. Introduction to Language and Linguistics

3. Translation (English - Amharic)

4. The Structure of Amharic

• Advising students

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• Working in departmental committees

Chair, Department of Ethiopian Languages and Literature

Addis Ababa University - Addis Ababa - October 2001 to July 2003

• Planning and implementing strategic directions of the department

• Overseeing the academic and administrative activities of the faculty and staff

• Representing the department's interest at higher levels of the University

Coordinator of the Continuing Education Program, Institute of Language Studies

Addis Ababa University - Addis Ababa - October 1998 to October 2000

• Advising continuing education students

• Scheduling of events

• Monitoring the academic records of students

Amharic Language Instructor

Khartoum University - Khartoum - September 1993 to December 1993

EDUCATION

PhD in Linguistics

University of Illinois at Urbana - Urbana-Champaign, IL

August 2013

MA in Linguistics

University of Illinois at Urbana - Urbana-Champaign, IL

May 2010

MA in Linguistics

Addis Ababa University

February 1998

BA in Ethiopian Languages and Literature (Amharic)

Addis Ababa University

July 1991

SKILLS

• Programming: Python, C#, Java

• Data analysis: SQL

• Web design: PHP, Javascript, HTML

• Applications: Microsoft Office Suite, Open Office, Adobe Acrobat,

PUBLICATIONS

Selected Proceedings of the 40th Annual Conference on African Linguistics: African

Languages and Linguistics Today

http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/40/

2011

Causative of the 'passive' in Amharic

http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/40/paper2565.pdf

2011

Amharic Learners' Reference Grammar

http://nalrc.indiana.edu/resources/nalrc-african-language-textbooks/reference-grammar/29-amhariclearners-reference-

grammar

2005

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Let's Speak Amharic: A Multidimensional Approach to the Teaching and Learning of

Amharic As a Foreign Language.

http://nalrc.indiana.edu/l-resources/textbooks/40-let-s-speak-amharic

2005

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Papers and Seminars

1. "The submprphemic structure of Amharic: toward a phonosemantic analysis" Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Illinois at

Urbana-Champaign, 2013.

2. "Is identity of radicals different from reduplication? Revisiting root analysis in Amharic". A paper presented at the 44th

Annual Conference on African Linguistics, Georgetown University, 2013.

3. "Is yä- a complementizer in Amharic?" A paper presented at the 39th Annual Conference on African Linguistics,

University of Georgia-Athens, 2008.

4. "Causativization in Amharic" MA Thesis, Addis Ababa University. 1998.

5. "Some observations on Amharic Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases". A paper presented at the Tenth Annual

Seminar of the Institute of Language Studies, 1998.

6. "Major problems in the translation of 90 Minutes At Entebe". A paper presented at the Seventh Annual Seminar of the

Institute of Language Studies, 1995.

Workshops and Lectures

1. Task force member in the preparation of National Standard for the Ethiopic Character Set under the Ethiopian Quality

and Standards Authority, (2003)

2. Interview on translation and translating for "Addis Daily" newspaper, (Oct. 2000)

3. Lecture on translation at the training workshop for Journalists of the Ethiopian Press Agency (July 1999).

4. Lecture at the annual training workshops of journalists of the Ethiopian News Agency about Translation and Translating

(June 1997, May 1998 and June 1999).

5. Lecture at the training workshop of journalists of Radio Ethiopia on Translation and Translating (June 1998).

6. Interviews on translation and translating for "The World of Books" program of Radio Ethiopia, (April 1998).

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