Dr. John Middleton

Discipline: Linguistics

Email: john.middleton@usp.ac.fj

Office: 308, SPACE building, Laucala Campus

 

Biography

I joined USP in 2025 from the University of Auckland. My research is about Pacific vernacular languages, with a focus on Polynesian. I currently work on Tokelauan, the native language of three atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo. I am very interested in language documentation, and what we can learn about the brain’s cognitive abilities from Pacific languages.

 

Educational background

PhD Linguistics, University of Auckland

BA (Hons.) Linguistics, University of Auckland

 

Research Interests

My research interests include the syntax of Pacific languages, verb-initial word orders, ellipsis, negation and question formation. I currently research Tokelauan (Polynesian), Moriori (Polynesian) and Madurese (Indonesian). I am especially interested in endangered languages, including revitalization efforts. Other areas include climate change, migration and language endangerment, dormant languages, and Pacific orthographies.

 

Supervision

I am available for postgraduate supervision. I welcome enquiries from potential research students interested in documentation and description of Pacific languages, as well as Pacific orthography, comparative studies and sentence structures.

 

Publications

Middleton, J. 2025. Predicate-sluicing in Tokelauan. Natural Language & Linguistic Theory.

Brown, J., J. Middleton and I. Pue. 2024. Climate Migration and Tokelau Language Endangerment. In The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Migration, eds. Wilson, R., Maher, B. and Polezzi, L., 71-83. London: Routledge.

Middleton, J. 2024. Reassessing pseudosluicing in Austronesian. Syntax, 1-27.

Middleton, J. 2024. A Moriori Tale: Ko Tahopuni raau Ko Paonga. Waka Kuaka | The Journal of the Polynesian Society, 133(2): 217-238.

Middleton, J. 2023. Pre-verbal determiners and the passive in Moriori. Oceanic Linguistics, 62(1): 117-142.

Middleton, J. 2021. Revisiting the clause periphery in Polynesian languages. Glossa: A Journal of General Linguistics, 6(1): 1-11.

 

Media

“Fanning the sparks of dying languages”. Radio New Zealand, 14 May 2024.

“Waking a sleeping language – our plan to revive the speaking of ta rē Moriori”. The Conversation, 25 November 2023.

“Endangered languages on NZ’s doorstep”. Newsroom, 27 May 2022.

“With more Tokelauan speakers in New Zealand than in Tokelau, it remains a unique but endangered language”. The Conversation, 22 October 2021.

“Is Tokelauan facing extinction?”. Newsroom, 28 October 2020.