Costas Canakis is Assistant Professor of Linguistics. After graduating with a BA in English from the University of Athens (1990, magna cum laude) he earned a PhD in Linguistics as a Fulbright & Century Scholar at the Department of Linguistics, The University of Chicago (with a thesis entitled “KAI: The Story of a Conjunction”, supervised by Jerrold A. Sadock, William F. Hanks and Kostas Kazazis, 1995). He subsequently taught at Princeton University (1995-1997), with a joint appointment in the Program in Hellenic Studies, the Department of classics and the Program in Linguistics, and the Universities of Athens (1998-2001) and Thessaloniki (2001-2002), before joining the University of the Aegean in 2000 (tenure track since 2002).

His interests lie at the intersection of general linguistics, sociolinguistics, pragmatics, cognitive linguistics, and anthrolinguistics, as evidenced by his monograph An Introduction to Pragmatics: Cognitive and Social Aspects of Language Use (in Greek, Eikostos Protos, 2007, 2^nd edition 2011), while his current research focuses on two broad themes: issues in Balkan (socio- and anthro-) linguistics and the indexical relation of language and sexuality. Among his book length publications are Subjectification: Various Paths to Subjectivity (co-edited with A. Athanasiadou & B. Cornillie, Mouton de Gruyter, 2006), Language and Sexuality: (Through and) beyond Gender (co-edited with V. Kantsa & K. Yannakopoulos, CSP, 2010), and an annotated Greek translation of Ranko Bugarski’s Jezik od mira do rata [=Language from peace to war] from Serbian (Eikostos Protos, 2011). His most recent work is represented by the edited volume Language and Sexuality: Linguistic and Anthropological Perspectives which has just appeared (in Greek, Eikostos Protos, 2011) as well as numerous published articles on the indexical relation of language and homoerotic masculinities on the internet and on language, sexuality, and nationhood.

He has lectured as an invited speaker at Universities and academic institutions at home and abroad (among which Harvard University, King's College, University of Hull, Universität Hamburg, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Katholieke Universitet Leuven, Århus Universitet, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty), The National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University of Thesally, Volos) and participated in numerous conferences. He has served as a reviewer for journals such as Cognitive Linguistics, Constructions and Frames, and Γλωσσολογία/Glossologia and has collaborated with the Thessaloniki based Center for Greek Language in various capacities.

He is fluent in English, French, and Italian and reads many other European languages. He has studied the structure of ASL, Arabic, and the Amerindian languages Nahuatl (with Norman McQwon) and Mesquakie/Fox (with Amy Dahlstrom). Since 2006 he has been engaged in Croato-serbian/Serbo-Croatian and the successor languages.

University of Athens, Department of English Studies (BA in English, summa cum laude, 1990)

The University of Chicago, Department of Linguistics (Ph.D. in Linguistics, 1995)

1995-1997     Princeton University (Program in Hellenic Studies & Classics Department) Lecturer in Modern Greek & Linguistics

1998-2000     University of Athens, Department of English Studies, Adjunct Lecturer in Linguistics

2000-2003     University of the Aegean, Department of Social Anthropology, Adjunct Assistant Professor in Linguistics

2001-2002     Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of English Studies, Adjunct Lecturer in Linguistics

2003-             University of the Aegean, Department of Social Anthropology & History, Lecturer in Linguistics (tenure-track)

IPrA, International Cognitive Linguistics Association, Modern Greek Studies Association

Sociolinguistics, Pragmatics, Cognitive linguistics, Anthropological linguistics, Balkan linguistics

    1. Cognitivizing the social and socializing the cognitive. Starting from a case-study on grammaticalization of líγo '(a) little' in Greek and a paper in progress entitled líγo: Towards grammaticalized verbal diminutivization, I intend to show that the aforementioned double process is a major force in linguistic structure and therefore in the linguistic investigation. The areas investigated include phenomena in Balkan linguistics ranging from conjunctions (such as MGr kai, BCMS i, pa) and Turkish, Greek, and South Slavic loans to language and (national) ideology in the successor states of former Yugoslavia.

    2. Linguistic identity and the struggle for the accumulation of linguistic capital in the Balkans (with emphasis on language mythologies and nationalism as a factor affecting linguistic practice). This interest in language myths and attitudes took the form of a seminar course three years ago and was recently transformed with a more specific on linguistic practices in the states that emerged after the demise of ex-Yugoslavia and, most notably, Kosovo. I.e., on linguistic practices given changing communities of practice (and communities of practice in flux).

    3. Language and sexuality: focus on homoerotic masculinities. This project grew out of my graduate seminar on language and gender within the language-art-gender thematic unit of the M.A. program in Women and Genders at the University of the Aegean (inaugurated 2003-2004). Following developments in the field, the seminar took a rather sharp turn from bona fide language-and-gender to language-and-sexuality issues (arguing that sexless gender is not a viable enterprise for either socio- or anthrolinguistics anymore). I am currently researching a monograph (in English). At the same time, I have recently put together a draft proposal for a collected volume on a similar topic in Greek (to be in all probability co-edited with my colleague Dr. Venetia Kantsa in Anthropology) , hoping to arise interest among (socio)linguistics and anthropologists.

Fulbright Program (USIA); Program in Hellenic Studies, Princeton University

Selected Publications

Monograph

 ● Kanakēs, K. 2007. Eisagōgē stēn pragmatologia: Gnōstikes kai koinōnikes opseis tēs glōssikēs xrēseis [Pragmatics: An introduction to Cognitive and Social aspects of Language in Use]. Athēna: Ekdoseis tou Eikostou Prōtou. 2nd edition, 2011.

Edited volumes

● Kanakēs, K. (ed.). 2011. Glōssa kai seksualikoteta: Glōssologikes kai anthrōpologikes prosengiseis. Athēna: Ekdoseis tou Eikostou Prōtou.
● Canakis, C., Kantsa, V. & Yannakopoulos, K. (eds.). 2010. Language and Sexuality: (Through and) Beyond Gender. Upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
● Athanasiadou, A., Canakis, C. & B. Cornillie. (eds.). 2006. Paths of Subjectivity. CLR Series. Berlin & New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
● Canakis, C., Chan, G. & J. Marshall Denton (eds.). 1992. Papers from the 28th Regional Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society, Vol. 1: The Main Session. Chicago: Chicago Linguistic

  Society

● Marshall Denton, J., Chan, G. & C. Canakis (eds.) 1992. Papers from the 28th Regional Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society, Vol. 2: The Parasession on the Cycle in Linguistic theory. Chicago: Chicago Linguistic Society.

Annotated translation

● Bugarski, R. 2011. Hē glōssa apo tēn eirēnē ston polemo. [Translated and annotated edition of Jezik od mira do rata with an introduction by C. Canakis]. Athēna: Ekdoseis tou Eikostou Prōtou.

Selected papers in journals and collected volumes

● Kanakēs, K. to appear. Hē epithymia ya tēn tautotēta kai hē tautotēta tēs epithymias. In A. Halkias & A. Apostolleli (eds.), Seksualikotetes kai phyla. Athēna: Aleksandreia.
● in press. Teaching the polysemous connective kai to Balkan learners of Modern Greek. In Studies in Greek Linguistics, (vol. 31). Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Manolēs Triantaphyllidēs Foundation.
● 2011 α. Eisagōgē: Apo tēn “adelphosynē kai enotēta” ston katakermatismo [Introduction: From “brotherhood and unity” to destruction]. In R. Bugarski, Hē glōssa apo tēn eirēnē ston polemo. Athēna: Ekdoseis tou Eikostou Prōtou, 13-39.
● 2011b. Eisagōgē: Pothen glōssa kai seksualikoteta? In K. Kanakes (ed.), Glōssa kai seksualikotēta: Glōssologikes kai anthrōpologikes prosengiseis. Athena: Ekdoseis tou Eikostou Prōtou.
● 2011c. Sir, yes sir! Pornographikē glōssa: Ho logos tēs aprokalypta seksualikēs anaparastasēs. In K. Kanakes (ed.), Glōssa kai seksualikotēta: Glōssologikes kai anthrōpologikes prosengiseis. Athēna: Ekdoseis tou Eikostou Prōtou.
● 2011d. Ho ethnikos kormos: Epimetro. Eneken 19.
● Canakis, C. 2010a. Introduction: On language, sexuality, and other creatures. In C. Canakis, V. Kantsa, & K. Yannakopoulos (eds.), Language and Sexuality: (Through and) beyond Gender. Newcastle Upon Tyne: CSP Publishers, 1-21.
● 2010b. Eroticizing homo-subjectivities in online personals. In C. Canakis, V. Kantsa, & K. Yannakopoulos (eds.), Language and Sexuality: (Through and) beyond Gender. Newcastle Upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 143-170.
● 2010c. Hellas – Tourkia: Diglōssia? Glōssikos tourkismos kai  dēmotikismos. In Studies in Greek Linguistics, (vol. 30). Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Manolēs Triantaphyllidēs Foundation, 261-274.
● 2010d. Ho ethnikos kormos: Glōssa, seksualikotēta kai ethnotēta sto valkaniko ethniko aphēgēma [The national body: Language, sexuality and nationality in the Balkan national narrative]. Eneken 18: 119-136.
●  2009a. Ekfrazondas andrikes omoerōtikes epithymies kai ypokeimenikotētas sto diadiktyo [Expressing male homoerotic desires and subjectivities on the internet]. Synxrona Themata 105: 78-83.
●  2009b. Hē ekphrasē tēs andrikēs omoerotikēs epithymias kai ypokeimenikotētas sto diadiktyo: Mia deuterē matia [The expression of male homoerotic desires and subjectivities on the internet: A second look]. 10% 27, http://10percent.gr/periodiko/teyxos27/1438-2009-10-01-11-14-39.html
●  2008a. Glōssa, arsenikotēta kai seksualikotēta sto diadiktyo. In Studies in Greek Linguistics, (vol. 28). Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Manolēs Triantaphyllidēs Foundation, 159-170.
●  2008b. Hē strategikē xrēsē koinōnioglōssikōn parametrōn sto euthymographēma tēs Helenas Akrita te dekaetia tou 1980 kai sēmera [The strategic use of sociolinguistic variables in the humorous writings of Helena Akrita in the 1980s and today]. In P. Politis (ed.), Ho logos tēs mazikēs epikoinōnias: To hellēniko paradeigma [Mass media Discourse: The Greek Example]. Thessalonikē: Instituto Neoellēnikōn Spoudōn, 342-380.
●   2007a. Apokōdikopoiōndas tē glōssa tēs marketas: Omoseksualikotōta kai emporeusimē arsenikotēta [Deciphering the language of the meat-market: Homosexuality and commodifiable masculinity]. Synxrona Themata 98: 55-59.
●  2007. Review of The Building Blocks of Meaning: Ideas for a Philosophical Grammar by Michele Prandi. Journal of Pragmatics 39(6): 1231-1234.
●  2004α. Welcome to Mytilene’s Airport: Investigating New English in the Greek Public Transport Context. In V. Bolla-Mavridou (ed.), New Englishes: New Facets of the English Language, Literature and Culture as English Becomes a Global Language. Thessaloniki: School of English Language & Literature, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 25-54. 
●  2004β. Πλήρωμα καμπίνας, θέσειςαπογείωση: On the language of airline announcements. In Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Greek Linguistics, Rethymno, September 18-21. CD-Rom.
·    2003α. Do Grice and Rosch save? An essay on linguistic slogans and what they might tell us about theories. In e. Athanasopoulou-Mella (ed.), Selected Papers from the 15th International Symposium on Theoretical and Applied Linguistics. Thessaloniki: School of English Language & Literature, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 274-285.
●  2003b. Metaphors of a body meant to die. Gramma 11, 13-29.
● 1997. Pragmatics vs. cognitive semantics. In Papers from the Thirty-third Regional Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society. Chicago: CLS, 15-29.
● 1994. Diglossia as an agent of humour in the writings of Helena Akrita. Journal of Modern Greek Studies 12, 221-237.
● 1991. Multiple offers in Modern Greek and American English. Chicago Working Papers in Linguistics 7, 1-17.

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