Publications (peer-reviewed)

Preprint versions of most publications can be found on my Academia page

Reed, Lauren W. (In press). Sign languages of the Papuasphere. In Evans, Nicholas and Sebastian Fedden (Eds.), The Oxford guide to the Papuan languages. Preprint available at https://www.academia.edu/115469979/Sign_languages_of_the_Papuasphere 

Hodge, Gabrielle; Danielle Barth; & Lauren W. Reed. (2023). Auslan and Matukar Panau: A modality-agnostic look at quotatives. In Barth, Danielle and Nicholas Evans (Eds.), Social Cognition Parallax Interview Corpus (SCOPIC). Language Documentation & Conservation Special Publication No. 12: 85-125. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/24744 

Reed, Lauren W. (2022). Sign networks: Nucleated network sign languages and rural homesign in Papua New Guinea. Language in Society 51(4): 627-661. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404521000798

Planer, Ronald J. & Lauren W Reed. (2021). Like hand, like mouth: On the role of gesture-linked mouth actions in the evolution of language. Biological Theory 16: 90-101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13752-021-00377-8

Reed, Lauren W & Kate L. Lindsey. (2021). “Now the story’s turning around”: Associated motion and directionality in Ende, a language of Papua New Guinea. In Koch, Harold & Antoine Guillaume (Eds.), Associated motion, pp. 357-383. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter Mouton.

Reed, Lauren W. (2020). "Switching caps": Two ways of communicating in sign in the Port Moresby deaf community, Papua New Guinea. Asia-Pacific Language Variation 6(1): 13-52. https://doi.org/10.1075/aplv.19010.ree [Auslan abstract available at https://benjamins.com/catalog/aplv.19010.ree/video/abstract]

Rumsey, Alan; Lauren W Reed; & Francesca Merlan. (2020). Ku Waru clause chaining and the acquisition of complex syntax. Frontiers in Communication 5, 19. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2020.00019

Reed, Lauren W & Alan Rumsey. (2020). Sign languages in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. In Kendon, Adam, Sign language in Papua New Guinea: A primary sign language from the Upper Lagaip Valley, Enga Province, pp. 141-183. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/z.226.se1

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Sign languages of Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea, and their challenges for sign language typology. Master's thesis. Canberra: Australian National University. https://doi.org/10.25911/5d69027b5d5f8

Ellis, Elizabeth M.; Jennifer Green; Inge Kral; & Lauren W Reed. (2019). Mara yurriku: Western Desert sign languages. Australian Aboriginal Studies (2): 89-111. https://www.academia.edu/42157928/Mara_yurriku_Western_Desert_sign_languages

Refereed Conference Papers

2025

Reed, Lauren W. & John Gibbs (2025). Australia's National Indigenous Languages Survey: Assessing the health and strength of Australia's Indigenous languages. Paper presented at 9th International Conference on Language Documentation and Conservation, University of Hawai'i, 8 March.

2024

Reed, Lauren W.; Lutzenberger, Hannah; Safar, Josefina; & de Vos, Connie (2024). How do you sign 'mm hmm'? A study of response tokens in five sign languages. Australian Linguistic Society annual meeting, Australian National University, 28 November. Abstract available on pp. 239-240 of https://als.asn.au/Resources/FMFiles/Conference2024/ALS2024-AbstractBooklet.pdf 

2023

Reed, Lauren W. & Mount, Alison (2023). The Language Revival Index: A strengths-based complement to traditional language vitality indices. Paper presented at Australian Linguistic Society annual meeting, University of Sydney, 1 December. https://www.academia.edu/117204756/Reed_and_Mount_2023_The_Language_Revival_Index_presentation_to_Australian_Linguistic_Society 

2019

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). A novel comparative method for young sign languages: Base comparison. Paper presented at Australian Linguistic Society annual meeting, Macquarie University, Sydney, 12 December. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.11356508

Reed, Lauren. (2019). “Culture sign is my favourite”: Bilingualism and identity in the Port Moresby deaf community. Paper presented at Symposium on Sociolinguistic Variation in Signed and Spoken Languages of the Asia-Pacific Region, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK, 12 July 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9758678 (Abstract available on pp. 7-8 of https://islandscentre.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/symposium_book_of_abstracts_final_version.pdf)

2018

Ellis, Elizabeth Marrkilyi; Green, Jennifer; Reed, Lauren; Simpson, Jane; & Kral, Inge. (2018). An exploration of the handshapes and phonology of Western Desert alternate sign languages. Paper presented at Australian Languages Workshop, Marysville, Victoria, 3 March.

2017

Reed, Lauren & Rumsey, Alan. (2017). Initial observations of mouth action distribution, type, and variation in Kailge Sign Language, an undocumented sign language of Papua New Guinea. Paper presented at Australian Linguistic Society annual conference, University of Sydney, 6 December.

Refereed Conference Posters

2025

Reed, Lauren W; Lutzenberger, Hannah; Safar, Josefina; & de Vos, Connie. (2025). "Ah, I see": comparing response tokens in five sign languages. Poster presented at 15th Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research conference, Addis Ababa University, 14 January.

2019

Reed, Lauren W & Rumsey, Alan. (2019). Sign networks, and a nucleated network sign language of Papua New Guinea. Poster presented at TISLR13 (Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research), University of Hamburg, 26 September 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9896489

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Co-expression of past and future in a sign language of rural Papua New Guinea. Poster presented at TISLR13 (Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research), University of Hamburg, 27 September 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9901727.v1

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). A sociolinguistic sketch of the Port Moresby deaf community and Papua New Guinea Sign Language. Poster presented at TISLR13 (Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research), University of Hamburg, 28 September 2019. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9896429

2017

Reed, Lauren & Rumsey, Alan. (2017). Initial observations of mouth action type and distribution in an undocumented sign language of Papua New Guinea. Poster presented at the 2017 Linguistic Society of America Linguistic Institute, University of Kentucky, Lexington, 16 July.

Other Publications

Reed, Lauren W., Alison L. Mount, Alexandra Marley, Kira Davey, Mahesh White-Radhakrishnan, Grace Smith, Jason Chong, Kaitlyn Lodewikus & Tamarind Meara. (In press). The AIATSIS Dictionaries Program: Supporting the strengthening of Australian Indigenous languages. In Dias, I., R. Gouws, A. Lobenstein-Reichmann, & S. J. Schierholz (Eds.), Regarding the significance of lexicography: Europe and Australia (Berlin: de Gruyter Mouton).

Reed, Lauren W.; Alison L. Mount.; & Denise Angelo. (2024). 'Strengthening Australian languages: between policy and practice', Report on the Language Policy Symposium, 26–27 September 2022. AIATSIS Research Publications: Canberra. https://aiatsis.gov.au/publication/118510 

Education

2024-2028

In Progress - Doctor of Philosophy, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands

2019

Master of General and Applied Linguistics (Advanced), Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

2007

Bachelor of International Studies (Arabic), Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia                                                         

2002

Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

Prizes and Awards

2024

CEO Diversity Award (for AIATSIS Centre for Australian Languages)

• Recognising outstanding achievement and contribution to the AIATSIS vision and mission

2023

CEO Corporate Contribution Award (individual)

• Recognising outstanding achievement and contribution to the AIATSIS vision and mission

2019

University Medal, Australian National University

• For exceptional academic excellence

2008

Alfred Deakin Medal, Deakin University 

• For outstanding academic, university and community achievements

Grants, Scholarships and Fellowships

2021-2024

Chief Investigator, ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities grant (AUD $699,747 [ARC contribution, multiple CIs])

• Nyingarn: A platform for primary sources in Australian Indigenous languages

2019

Jalwang Scholarship, Australian Linguistic Society (AUD $4,901)

• To produce a picture dictionary of PNGSL, in partnership with the PNG Deaf Association and Buk Bilong Pikinini

2018

Language Documentation Grant, Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (AUD $8,574)

• Documentation of Papua New Guinea Sign Language (PNGSL)

Student Experience Grant, College of Arts and Social Sciences, ANU (AUD $2,000)

• For a fieldtrip to Gamilaraay and Yuwaalaraay country for students learning Gamilaraay

• Co-grantees: Dr John Giacon and Professor Jane Simpson

Student Extracurricular Enrichment Fund grant, Postgraduate and Research Students Association, ANU (AUD $2,000)

• To fund Auslan classes for ANU students

• Granted to ANU Sign Language Collective

2017

Research Grant, Australian Linguistic Society (AUD $4,626)

• To investigate sign language used in the rural Nebilyer and Kaugel Valleys, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea

Firebird Fellowship, Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research (USD $7,154)

• To record traditional stories, hunting signs, and directionality in the grammar in Ende, Western Province, Papua New Guinea

Fellowship, Linguistic Institute, Linguistic Society of America (USD $2,000)

• Fee waiver to attend the 2017 Linguistic Society of America Linguistic Institute, University of Kentucky

2016

Summer Research Scholarship, Australian National University (AUD $800)

• To annotate a corpus of Ngaanyatjarra alternate sign language, used in Australia's Western Desert

Presentations, Seminars and Invited Talks

2024

Lauren W Reed & Ron Planer. (2024). What can homesign tell us about the emergence of language? Stone tools, cultural evolution, and the emergence of language. Workshop, University of Wollongong, 22 October.

Lauren W Reed, Hannah Lutzenberger, Josefina Safar & Connie de Vos. (2024). A pragmatic typological survey of backchannelling in sociolinguistically diverse sign languages. Research Seminar Series, Macquarie University, Sydney, 6 September. Abstract available at: https://www.mq.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/1317101/Reed-Abstract.pdf 

Alison L. Mount; Kaitlyn Lodewikus; & Lauren W Reed. (2024). National Indigenous Languages Survey. AIATSIS Summit, Melbourne, 7 June.

Reed, Lauren W. and Kaitlyn Lodewikus. (2024). The AIATSIS Dictionaries Project. Lexicography and Dictionaries Symposium, Australian National University, Canberra, 2 April.

2023

Reed, Lauren W. and Kaitlyn Lodewikus. (2023). National Indigenous Languages Survey. CONVERGE First Nations Media National Conference, Canberra, 22 November.

Reed, Lauren W. and Jason Chong. (2023). Co-designing the 4th NILS: What does alive and thrive mean to you? Wangka Kanyilku Wangkawa! Decolonising First Nations' Languages Conference, Kalgoorlie, 26 October.

Reed, Lauren W. and Jason Chong. (2023). The Fourth National Indigenous Languages Survey. PULiiMA Indigenous Languages and Technology Conference, Darwin, 24 August.

Reed, Lauren W. (2023). Australian Indigenous Sign Languages. Aboriginal Sign Language Forum, University of Sydney, 31 July.

Reed, Lauren W, Jason Chong and Alison Mount. (2023). The Fourth National Indigenous Languages Survey (NILS4). Australian Languages Workshop, Hawkesbury, New South Wales, 22 July.

Reed, Lauren W. and Jason Chong. (2023). The Fourth National Indigenous Languages Survey: Tracking the Health and Strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages. AIATSIS Summit, Perth, 6 July.

2022

Reed, Lauren W. (2022). Parallel conversation in homesign. Evolutionary Perspectives on Tool Manipulation and Gestural Communication. Annual Symposium, Words Bones Genes Tools DFG Center for Advanced Studies, University of Tuebingen, 14 October.

Reed, Lauren W. (2022). Baby talk in Aksen Bilong Kakuyl. Communicative modality in cross-cultural perspective workshop, Australian National University, 21 July.

2020

Reed, Lauren W. (2020). Widening the lens on "Generation 0". Emergence of Language in Social Interaction (ELISA) kick-off meeting, Tilburg University, 17 December.

Reed, Lauren W. (2020). "Switching caps": Exploring bilingual practices in deaf Port Moresby. Language Talks! seminar series, University of New England, 29 October. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.13159742

Reed, Lauren W. (2020). Sign networks: Insights from Papua New Guinea for sign language typology. CoEDL Fest, University of Queensland, 5 February.

Reed, Lauren W and Rumsey, Alan. (2020). Ku Waru clause chains and the acquisition of complex syntax. CoEDL Fest, University of Queensland, 5 February.

Reed, Lauren W. (2020). Sign linguistics for non-sign linguists (CoEDL Fest crash course series). CoEDL Fest, University of Queensland, 3 February.

2019

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Verb 'agreement' in a sign language of Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Presentation to Deafness, Cognition and Language Research Centre, University College London, 7 October.

Reed, Lauren W. (2019). Verb 'agreement' in a sign language from Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Presentation to Sign Pop-Up, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 20 September.

Reed, Lauren. (2019). Understanding and not-understanding among sign language users in the New Guinea Highlands. Presentation to the Rumsey Symposium, Australian National University, 15 August. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9761489

Planer, Ronald J. and Reed, Lauren. (2019). Handling the data: The role of emerging sign languages in the study of language evolution. Presentation to the University of Edinburgh, 17 July.

Reed, Lauren and Rumsey, Alan. (2019). Young sign languages, multimodality and rapid language evolution in Papua New Guinea. Presentation to CoEDL Fest, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 4 February. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9759572

2018

Reed, Lauren; Rumsey, Alan; Merlan, Francesca; & Onga, John. (2018). The communicative ecology of deaf sign languages in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Seminar for the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University, Canberra, 12 October. Presentation available to watch via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNDZPpEJkH0, and slides via https://cloudstor.aarnet.edu.au/plus/s/2ShUz8KKfmK8YaM

Reed, Lauren. (2018). “Now the story’s turning around”: Directionality and associated motion in Ende, a language of southern New Guinea. Presentation to workshop, Directionality or associated motion? Evidence from diverse languages, Australian National University, Canberra, 22 June.

2017

Reed, Lauren & Rumsey, Alan. (2017.) New research on a vernacular sign language in the New Guinea Highlands. Seminar for the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University, Canberra, 18 August.

Reed, Lauren (2017.) ‘Speaking by moving’: Ngaanyatjarra traditional sign language. Presentation to the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University, Canberra, 19 January.

Reed, Lauren. (2017). Primary and alternate sign languages: Auslan and Ngaanyatjarra sign language. Presentation to National Youth Science Forum, Australian National University, Canberra, 5 January.

Community Resources

2018

I designed, filmed and recorded "Gagan: Colours in Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay & Auslan" in partnership with Winanga-Li Aboriginal Child and Family Centre, Gunnedah, New South Wales. The video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1wPrgNv6f8

2017

In conjuction with Kate L. Lindsey and the Ende Language Committee, I worked with the Ende community in Limol, Western Province, Papua New Guinea to transcribe, translate and illustrate two books of hunting and fishing stories in Ende, a Pahoturi River language of PNG:

• Mamoeatt Ttoenttoen (Hunting Stories)

• Tudiatt Ttoenttoen (Fishing Stories)

Corpora

de Vos, Connie; Josefina Safar; Satyawati; Ni Made Dadi Astini; Ni Made Sumarni; Ketut Kanta; Ranum Dara Valentin; Lauren Reed; & Hannah Lutzenberger, (2021-2023). Collection "Balinese Homesign Corpus". The Language Archive. https://hdl.handle.net/1839/52a624e0-bc5a-4dbf-b7ed-953fbc61279d

Lauren Reed (collector), 2018. Papua New Guinea Sign Language. Collection LWR2 at catalog.paradisec.org.au [Open Access]. http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/collections/LWR2 

Lauren Reed (collector), 2015. Western Highlands Sign Languages. Collection LWR1 at catalog.paradisec.org.au [Open Access]. http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/collections/LWR1 

Rumsey, Alan; Andrew Noma; Lauren Reed; Naomi Peck; Charlotte van Tongeren; & Stephanie Yam. (Processing). Ku Waru Child Language Socialization Study (KWCLSS) contribution to Language, ACQuisition, DIVersity Lab (ACQDIV).

Contributor to: Kate L. Lindsey (collector), 2007. Language Corpus of Ende and other Pahoturi River Languages. Collection LSNG08 at catalog.paradisec.org.au [Open Access]. https://dx.doi.org/10.26278/5c1a5cfcaacde 

Academic and Industry Positions

September 2024 - present

Director, AIATSIS Centre for Australian Languages, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)

Honorary Lecturer (Level B), School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics, College of the Arts and Social Sciences, The Australian National University

February 2022 - September 2024

Senior Linguist, AIATSIS Centre for Australian Languages, AIATSIS

September 2021 - February 2022

Assistant Director, Education and Ethics, AIATSIS

April 2021 - September 2021

A/g Research Fellow (Linguistics), Indigenous Culture & Policy, AIATSIS

October 2020 - March 2021

Project manager, Ethics and Research Leadership, AIATSIS

August 2020 - September 2020

Project officer, Ethics and Research Leadership, AIATSIS

March 2017 - August 2020

Research assistant to Professor Alan Rumsey, Australian National University

• Coordinating Professor Rumsey's team of research assistants

• Working with corpus managers to clean and refine the corpus for quantitative analysis

• Glossing in FLEx of child language material in Ku Waru, a Trans-New-Guinea language of Papua New Guinea

• Coding and analysis of child language material for research projects, such as a study into the acquisition of clause chains by children

• Preparing Ku Waru data for accession to ACQDIV, a corpus of child language acquisition data in maximally diverse languages

• Developing and maintaining the Ku Waru Child Language and Socialization Study website

January 2020 - June 2020

Course coordinator, co-lecturer and tutor, Australian National University

• Coordination of ANU's flagship introductory linguistics course with over 100 students

• Development and delivery of lectures, tutorial problems, assessments and final exam

• Coordination of a team of two tutors, including developing marking guides

• Overseeing rapid and unexpected transition to online delivery due to inception of COVID-19 pandemic

August 2019 - June 2020

• Research assistant to Dr Danielle Barth, Australian National University

• Annotation in ELAN of gesture and enactment by speakers of Matukar Panau, an Austronesian language of Papua New Guinea

March 2017 - October 2018

Research assistant to Dr Jennifer Green, University of Melbourne

• Annotation in ELAN of alternate sign language used in Ngaanyatjarra, Warlpiri and Gurindji communities of Australia

Teaching

2024

Guest lecturer, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

• Qualitative Research Methods (LING8026)

2023

Tutor, Tjabal Centre, Australian National University

• Gamilaraay (an Australian Aboriginal language) (INDG2003)

2021

Guest lecturer, School of Archaeology and Anthropology, Australian National University

• Critical Issues in Intangible Cultural Heritage (HUMN8035)

Tutor, Tjabal Centre, Australian National University

• Gamilaraay (an Australian Aboriginal language) (INDG2003)

2020

Coordinator, co-lecturer (with Alexandra Marley) and tutor, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

• Introduction to the Study of Language (LING1001/6001)

Guest lecturer, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University

• Papuan Languages (LING3031/6031)

2019

Tutor, Tjabal Centre, Australian National University

• Gamilaraay (an Australian Aboriginal language) (INDG2003 and INDG2004)

Guest lecturer, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

• Language, Culture, Translation (LING2015/6015)

• Cross Cultural Communication (LING2021/6021)

• Child Language Acquisition (LING2521/6521)

2018

Guest lecturer, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

• Learning an Indigenous Australian Language (AUST1001/6008)

• Language in Indigenous Australia (LING2016/6016)

Professional Activities and Service

Reviewer for: First Language, Languages, Glossa

2024-present

Steering Committee Member (on behalf of AIATSIS), Language Data Commons of Australia

2020-2025

Editorial board member, Ishara Research Series

2020-2022

Australasia regional representative, Sign Language Linguistics Society (co-held with Gabrielle Hodge and Rachel McKee)

Member, Sign Language Linguistics Society

2020

Reviewer, ANU Student Research Conference

Co-organiser (with Alan Rumsey), 'Aksen: Sign, gesture and multimodality in Australia and Papua New Guinea', conference which was to be held at Australian National University, Canberra, 6-8 October. Cancelled due to COVID-19.

Co-organiser (with M Carroll and Nick Evans), Papuan Languages Workshop, workshop which was to be held at Australian National University Kioloa Coastal Campus, New South Wales, 27-31 March. Cancelled due to COVID-19.

2018

Organiser, 'Directionality or associated motion? Evidence from diverse languages', workshop at Australian National University, Canberra, 22 June.

Founding Member, Australian National University Sign Language Collective

2017-present

Affiliate, Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (acceptance via application)

2016-present

Member, Australian Linguistic Society

Non-Academic Work History

Prior to starting in linguistics, I was a food writer and food tour guide, specialising in Melbourne's culturally diverse Western suburbs. You can see my old blog here. I am married to Dr Ronald J. Planer, with whom I share four children.