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Associate Professor Rob Pensalfini

Associate Professor

School of Languages and Cultures
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Associate Professor

School of Communication and Arts
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
r.pensalfini@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 56239

Overview

Dr Rob Pensalfini received his PhD in theoretical linguistics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1997, with research based on his fieldwork in the Barkly Tableland of Australia's Northern Territory. He then worked as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago for two years prior to commencing as a Lecturer in Linguistics at the University of Queensland in 1999. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in Linguistics and Drama in 2003, and to Associate Professor in 2016. He has published several books and numerous articles in both linguistics and drama, including ground-breaking work on the performance of Shakespeare in prisons. He leads Australia's only ongoing Prison Shakespeare program and is the Artistic Director of the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble.

Research Interests

  • Australian languages
    The structure and use of Australia's indigenous languages, particularly morphology, phonology and syntax. Language documentation and description. Language endangerment and maintenance.
  • Prison Shakespeare
    The performance or study of Shakespeare's dramatic works in prisons, typically faciliated by external artists. The impacts and challenges of such projects and the history and development of the phenomenon.
  • Shakespeare in Performance
    Particularly in Australia.
  • Actor training
    Use of the voice and body in acting. Performing rhetoric and verse.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Bachelor of Arts (Honours1), The University of Western Australia

Publications

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Grants

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Supervision

View all Supervision

Publications

Featured Publications

Book

Book Chapter

  • 'All corners else o’th’Earth let liberty make use of’: the Shakespeare Prison Project

    Dunne, Steven and Pensalfini, Rob (2023). 'All corners else o’th’Earth let liberty make use of’: the Shakespeare Prison Project. Reimagining Shakespeare education: teaching and learning through collaboration. (pp. 295-306) edited by Liam E. Semler, Claire Hansen and Jacqueline Manuel. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/9781108778510.030

  • The play's the thing: performance in Prison Shakespeare

    Pensalfini, Rob (2019). The play's the thing: performance in Prison Shakespeare. Performing arts in prisons: creative perspectives. (pp. 151-168) edited by Michael Balfour, Brydie-Leigh Bartleet, Linda Davey, John Rynne and Huib Schippers. Bristol, United Kingdom: Intellect.

  • Gender bender: Disagreement in Jingulu noun class marking

    Meakins, Felicity and Pensalfini, Rob (2016). Gender bender: Disagreement in Jingulu noun class marking. Loss and Renewal: Australian Languages Since Colonisation. (pp. 425-450) edited by Felicity Meakins and Carmel O'Shannessy. Berlin, Germany: De Gruyter Mouton.

  • Jingulu

    Pensalfini, R. (2015). Jingulu. Edinburgh Handbook of Evaluative Morphology. (pp. 416-422) edited by Nicola Grandi and Livia Kortvelyessy. London, United Kingdom: Edinburgh University Press.

  • Editors' introduction

    Pensalfini, Rob, Guillemin, Diana and Turpin, Myfany (2014). Editors' introduction. Language description informed by theory. (pp. 1-13) edited by Rob Pensalfini, Myfany Turpin and Diana Guillemin. Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing.

  • Verbs as spatial deixis markers in Jingulu

    Pensalfini, Rob (2014). Verbs as spatial deixis markers in Jingulu. Language description informed by theory. (pp. 123-152) edited by Rob Pensalfini, Myfany Turpin and Diana Guillemin. Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing. doi: 10.1075/slcs.147.07pen

  • Shakespeare of the oppressed

    Pensalfini, Rob (2013). Shakespeare of the oppressed. Teaching Shakespeare Beyond the Centre: Australasian Perspectives. (pp. 225-236) edited by Kate Flaherty, Penny Gay and L. E. Semler. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: 10.1057/9781137275073.0025

  • Configurationality

    Pensalfini, R. J. (2006). Configurationality. Encyclopedia of Language & Linguistics. (pp. 23-27) edited by K. Brown. UK: Elsevier Ltd. doi: 10.1016/b0-08-044854-2/01959-3

  • Accounting for verb-initial order in an Australian language

    Laughren, Mary, Pensalfini, Rob and Mylne, Tom (2005). Accounting for verb-initial order in an Australian language. Verb First: On the syntax of verb-initial languages. (pp. 367-401) edited by Carnie, Andrew, Harley, Heidi and Dooley, Sheila Ann. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

  • Kriol (Roper River Creole)

    Pensalfini, R. J. (2005). Kriol (Roper River Creole). Encyclopedia of Linguistics. (pp. 585-587) edited by P Stranzny. New York: Fitzroy Dearborn.

  • On the Typological and Genetic Affiliation of Jingulu

    Pensalfini, Robert (2001). On the Typological and Genetic Affiliation of Jingulu. Forty Years on: Ken Hale and Australian languages. (pp. 385-399) edited by Simpson, Jane, Nash, David, Laughren, Mary, Austin, Peter and Alpher, Barry. Australian National University, Canberra: Pacific Lingustics.

  • Encyclopedia-lexicon distinctions in Jingulu grammar

    Pensalfini, R. J. (2000). Encyclopedia-lexicon distinctions in Jingulu grammar. The Lexicon-encyclopedia interface. (pp. 393-431) edited by Bert Peeters. Oxford: Elsevier.

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Edited Outputs

Other Outputs

  • Bogga

    Pensalfini, Rob (2021). Bogga. Brisbane, Qld, Australia: Playlab Theatre.

  • The Blood Votes

    Pensalfini, Rob (2018). The Blood Votes. Brisbane, Australia: Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble.

  • Bogga

    Pensalfini, Rob (2017). Bogga. The University of Queensland: Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble.

  • Bogga

    Pensalfini, Rob (2017). Bogga. The University of Queensland, Queensland: Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble.

  • Music and Madness

    Pensalfini, Rob (2016). Music and Madness. The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland: Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble and UQ.

  • Twelfth Night

    Pensalfini, Rob (2016). Twelfth Night. Brisbane, Australia: Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble.

  • A Midsummer Night's Dream - Shakespeare Prison Project

    Pensalfini, Rob, Sanderson, Leah, Franklin, Jo and Dekker, Kat (2014). A Midsummer Night's Dream - Shakespeare Prison Project. Southern Queensland Correctional Centre: Gatton, QLD, Australia.

  • The Comedy of Errors

    Pensalfini, Rob, Kosch, Angel, Franklin, Jo and Sanderson, Leah (2013). The Comedy of Errors. Gatton, QLD, Australia: Southern Queensland Correctional Centre.

  • A Midsummer Night's Dream

    Pensalfini, Rob (2013). A Midsummer Night's Dream. Brisbane, Queensland: Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble.

  • The Two Gentlemen of Verona

    Pensalfini, Rob (2012). The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Brisbane, Queensland: Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble.

  • Shakespeare in prison

    Pensalfini, Rob, Edwards, Gavin, Tofteland, Curt, Heard, Emma, Trnka, Irma and Pensalfini, Anne (2011). Shakespeare in prison. Ironbark, QLD, Australia: Borallon Correctional Centre.

  • Macbeth

    Barry, Jane, Hoey, Aisling, Pensalfini, Anne, Pensalfini, Rob and Verbraak, Liz (2010). Macbeth. Ironbark, QLD, Australia: Borallon Correctional Centre.

  • Julius Caesar

    Carne, Andrea, Kosch, Angel, Pensalfini, Anne, Pensalfini, Rob and Small, Belinda (2009). Julius Caesar. Ironbark, QLD, Australia: Borallon Correctional Centre.

  • Introduction

    Jäger, Andreas and Pensalfini, Rob (2007). Introduction. School of English, Media Studies and Art History, The University of Queensland.

  • Verbs as Spatial Deixis markers in Jingulu

    Pensalfini, Rob (2007). Verbs as Spatial Deixis markers in Jingulu. School of English, Media Studies and Art History, The University of Queensland.

  • Shakespeare Prison Project (formerly known as Arts in Community Enhancement - ACE)

    Pensalfini, Robert J. (2006). Shakespeare Prison Project (formerly known as Arts in Community Enhancement - ACE). Borallon Correctional Centre: Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble.

  • Part Of Speech Mismatches in Modular Grammar: New Evidence from Jingulu

    Pensalfini, Rob (2003). Part Of Speech Mismatches in Modular Grammar: New Evidence from Jingulu.

  • Towards a Typology of Configurationality

    Pensalfini, Rob (2003). Towards a Typology of Configurationality.

  • Verbs as Spatial Deixis Markers in Jingulu

    Pensalfini, Rob (2003). Verbs as Spatial Deixis Markers in Jingulu.

  • Case Suffixes as Discourse Markers in Jingulu

    Pensalfini, Rob (1999). Case Suffixes as Discourse Markers in Jingulu.

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • A Grammatical Description of Mujawirun Arabic

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Acquisition of English Tense-aspect system by native Arabic speakres of English

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • The Productivity of Polish Yers: An Experimental Investigation Informed by the Lexicon

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Paradigm Shift: A Theoretical and Descriptive Study of Mudburra-Kriol Contact

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Completed Supervision

This staff member is a UQ Expert for media in the following fields:

Linguistics, Language maintenance, Australian Aboriginal languages, Indigenous Australian languages, Language and theatre, Speech and actors, Theatre - language, acting, directing, Prison theatre, Acting, Theatre directing, Language endangerment, Theatre and language, Shakespeare, Acting and speech

They are happy to lend their expertise to your articles or broadcasts and share their research discoveries and insights with the community via media channels.

For additional assistance with story ideas, general advice and information or help with seeking further experts, please email the UQ Media Team or telephone (07) 3365 1120.

Links

ORCID: 0000-0002-2007-7553

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