Jayden Macklin-Cordes

Jayden Macklin-Cordes

Computational linguist · Language evolution · Bayesian methods

CV

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Dr. Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes

Summary

I am a quantitative historical linguist investigating how language structures change over deep time, and what their evolution reveals about cultural evolution and human cognition. I employ a primarily Bayesian toolkit: phylogenetic tree inference, phylogenetic comparative methods, ancestral state reconstruction, and phylogeographic regression. My PhD and subsequent published works develop phylogenetic methods for phonology, particularly phonotactics, with a regional focus on languages of Australia. In parallel, I work on the evolution of conceptual categories (nominal classification, case semantics, number), with work extending to broader Sahul (Australia and New Guinea), Tibeto-Burman, and worldwide language samples. Most recently, I have turned attention to the design of agentic LLM pipelines for large-scale extraction of linguistic data from published grammars.

Skills

Statistical methods

Bayesian inference and multilevel modelling (brms), Bayesian phylogenetic tree inference (BEAST), phylogenetic comparative methods, ancestral state reconstruction, phylogeographic regression (BayesTraits, R).

Programming

R (highly proficient, including the tidyverse, Bioconductor suite, phylogenetic packages [ape, phytools], geospatial packages [sf]), Python, Javascript, LaTeX.

Research automation

Design of agentic LLM pipelines for large-scale extraction of linguistic data from published grammars. Agents consult structured knowledge bases, iteratively draft, self-critique and refine their output, and record grammar-specific idiosyncrasies for later use.

Data visualisation

ggplot2, ggmap, ggtree. Interactive apps and mapping (Shiny, leaflet).

Open science

Git (https://github.com/JaydenM-C), Zenodo/OSF (e.g. https://zenodo.org/records/7257104). Reproducibility tools (renv, Docker).

Portfolio

phonfreq

R-package

A package for visualising phoneme frequency distributions in Australian languages.

View Project

CLtemplate, DeGruytertemplate, LDCtemplate, UQpresentation

R-package

A series of packages providing Rmarkdown templates for authoring Computational Linguistics articles, De Gruyter articles and books, Language Dynamics and Change articles and University of Queensland-branded slideshow presentations. All at https://github.com/JaydenM-C/[name].

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JaydenM-C/PN_treebuilding

Repository

A repository of code (R, C, TeX) for inferring phylogenetic trees from phonotactic and lexical data.

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JaydenM-C/chromatography

Repository

Codebase for Chromatography (https://chromatography.pages.dev/). A web-based desktop app for crafting colour palettes from photographs.

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JaydenM-C/sc-alchemist

Repository

Repository of code (Python) implementing MCMC optimisation for AFL fantasy team selection, with user-defined constraint functions.

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JaydenM-C/AusErdle

Repository

Codebase for the AusErdle app, a Wordle spinoff using Australian English phonemic transcriptions.

View Project

Work Experience

  • Lecturer in Linguistics (tenure equivalent)
    2022-12 - 2025-08
    University of Newcastle, Australia
    School of Creative Industries, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Postdoctoral Researcher
    2021-11 - 2022-11
    CNRS, Université Lumière Lyon 2, Lyon, France
    UMR 5596: Laboratoire Dynamique du Langage (DDL)
    • EVOGRAM: The role of linguistic and non-linguistic factors in the evolution of nominal classification system

Education

  • Ph.D. (Linguistics)
    Jun 2021
    The University of Queensland, Australia
  • Bachelor of Arts (Honours, Class I)
    Jun 2015
    The University of Queensland, Australia
    Courses: Major: Linguistics (extended), Minor: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies

Publications

  • Trees beyond words: phonotactics in linguistic phylogenetics
    Diachronica
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
    View Publication
  • Signal separation: Quantifying inheritance and contact in language evolution
    Journal of Language Evolution
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L., Maria Copot, Mitch Browne & Tom Ennever.
    View Publication
  • Challenges of sampling and how phylogenetic comparative methods help: With a case study of the Pama-Nyungan laminal contrast
    2022
    Linguistic Typology 26(3). pp. 533–572.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L. & Erich R. Round.
    View Publication
  • Phylogenetic signal in phonotactics
    2021
    Diachronica 38(2). pp. 210–258.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L., Claire Bowern & Erich R. Round.
    View Publication
  • Re-evaluating Phoneme Frequencies
    2020
    Frontiers in Psychology 11.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L. & Erich R. Round.
    View Publication
  • Automated Parsing of Interlinear Glossed Text from Page Images of Grammatical Descriptions
    2020
    In Proceedings of The 12th Language Resources and Evaluation Conference, 2878–2883. Marseille, France: European Language Resources Association.
    Round, Erich R., T. Mark Ellison, Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes & Sacha Beniamine.
    View Publication
  • High-definition phonotactics reflect linguistic pasts
    2015
    In Proceedings of the 6th Quantitative Investigations in Theoretical Linguistics Conference. Tübingen, Germany: University of Tübingen.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L. & Erich R. Round.
    View Publication

Presentations

  • Noun classes persist for predictive processing: Evidence from constituent order in 2,500 languages [poster]
    Conference of the Association of Linguistic Typology (ALT XVI). Lumière University, Lyon.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L. & Maria Copot.
  • Optimal Representation Granularity in Morphological Learning
    International Morphology Meeting (IMM22). Budapest, Hungary.
    Copot, Maria & Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes.
  • Noun classes persist for predictive processing: Evidence from constituent order in 2,500 languages
    Quantitative Cross-Linguistic Explorations of Space, Time, and Evolution (QC-LESTE). National Museum of Natural History, Paris.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L. & Maria Copot.
  • Locative polyfunctionality in Pama-Nyungan: Disentangling space, phylogeny and ahistorical factors [poster]
    2026
    International Conference on the Evolution of Language (EVOLANG XVI). Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L., Maria Copot, Tom Ennever & Mitch Browne.
  • Locative functions beyond space and time: Pama-Nyungan case semantics reflect ahistorical processes [poster]
    2024
    Conference of the Association of Linguistic Typology (ALT XV). National University of Singapore, Singapore.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L., Mitch Browne, Tom Ennever & Maria Copot.
  • Locative polyfunctionality in Australia: Function distribution is not predicted by phylogeny or contact
    2024
    Australian Linguistics Society Annual Conference (ALS 2024). Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L., Mitch Browne, Tom Ennever & Maria Copot.
  • Towards a phylogenetic typology of Australian nominal classification
    2024
    Langues & Langage à la croisée des Disciplines (LLCD 2024). Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • Phylogenetic comparative methods in everyday typology
    2022
    Annual Meeting of the Societas Linguistica Europaea (SLE 2022). University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • The evolutionary dynamics of noun classes in Torricelli languages
    2022
    Conference of the Association of Linguistic Typology (ALT XIV). University of Texas, Austin, USA.
    Jódar-Sánchez, Jose Antonio, Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes & Marc Allassonnière-Tang.
  • Correlated evolution of numeral base and classifier word orders in Tibeto-Burman languages [poster]
    2022
    Conference of the Association of Linguistic Typology (ALT XIV). University of Texas, Austin, USA.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L., Her, One-Soon & Marc Allassonnière-Tang.
  • Incorporating typological features in tree inference: Lessons from phonotactics
    2022
    International Conference on Historical Linguistics (ICHL25). Oxford University, Oxford, UK.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • A statistical analysis of word-initial apical neutralisation in Warlmanpa
    2022
    Australian Linguistics Society Annual Conference (ALS 2022). University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
    Browne, Mitch & Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes.
  • Constituent order in subordinate clauses: A comparison of Mudburra, Warlmanpa and Warriyangga/Thiinma
    2022
    Australian Languages Workshop (ALW). University of Queensland Moreton Bay Research Station, North Stradbroke Island, Australia.
    Browne, Mitch, Jacqueline Cook, Amanda Hamilton-Holloway & Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes.
  • Trials and tribulations of tree inference: The challenge of phonotactics in phylogenetics and why it matters
    2021
    Australian Linguistic Society Annual Conference (ALS 2021). La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • Unstable trees: The challenge of frequency and phonology in phylogenetics
    2021
    Edinburgh Symposium on Historical Phonology. University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • Zipf's Law? Re-evaluating phoneme frequencies
    2020
    Australian Linguistics Society Annual Conference (ALS 2020). Online conference, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L. & Erich R. Round.
  • Clouded vision: Why insights improve when uncertainty about data is made explicit
    2019
    International Conference on Historical Linguistics (ICHL24). Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
    Round, Erich R. & Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes.
  • Historical signal beyond the cognate: Phonotactics in linguistic phylogenetics
    2019
    International Conference on Historical Linguistics (ICHL24). Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L. & Erich R. Round.
  • Phylogeny in phonotactics: A multivariate approach for stronger historical signal
    2018
    Australian Linguistics Society Annual Conference (ALS 2018). University of South Australia, Adelaide.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L. & Erich R. Round.
  • High-definition phonotactic typology in Sahul: Choosing the data-rich approach
    2017
    Conference of the Association of Linguistic Typology (ALT XII). Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • Robots who read grammars [poster]
    2017
    CoEDL Fest. Alexandra Park Conference Centre, Alexandra Headlands, QLD, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L., Nathaniel L. Blackbourne, Thomas J. Bott, Jacqueline Cook, T. Mark Ellison, Jordan Hollis, Edith E. Kirlew, Genevieve C. Richards, Sanle Zhao & Erich R. Round.
  • The Cape York lexical records of Bruce Sommer
    2016
    Australian Linguistics Society Annual Conference (ALS 2016). Monash University, Caulfield, Australia.
    Hollis, Jordan, Genevieve C. Richards, Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes & Erich R. Round.
  • Evaluating information loss from phonological dimensionality reduction
    2016
    SST2016 Satellite Symposium: The role of predictability in shaping human language sound patterns. Western Sydney University, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L., Steven P. Moran & Erich R. Round.
  • High-definition phonotactic data contain phylogenetic signal [poster]
    2016
    Annual Meeting of the Linguistic Society of America. Washington, DC.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L. & Erich R. Round.
  • Reflections of linguistic history in quantitative phonotactics
    2016
    Australian Linguistic Society Annual Conference (ALS2016). Monash University, Caulfield, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L. & Erich R. Round.
  • The grammar harvester
    2016
    Australian Linguistic Society Annual Conference (ALS 2016). Monash University, Caulfield, Australia.
    Round, Erich R., Jacqueline Cook, T. Mark Ellison, Jordan Hollis, Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes & Genevieve C. Richards.
  • On the design, in practice, of typological microvariables
    2015
    New Developments in the Quantitative Study of Languages. Helsinki, Finland.
    Round, Erich R. & Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes.
  • Next-generation typological variables: From theory to practice, and back again
    2014
    Australian Linguistic Society Annual Conference (ALS 2014). University of Newcastle, Australia.
    Round, Erich R. & Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes.
  • Locative polyfunctionality in Australia: Function distribution is not predicted by phylogeny or contact
    2025
    University of Newcastle Social Science and Linguistics Seminar Series. University of Newcastle, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • Towards a phylogenetic typology of Australian nominal classification
    2024
    University of Newcastle Social Science and Linguistics Seminar Series. University of Newcastle, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • Thinking like a quantitative modeller
    2024
    Invited masterclass for the Laboratory for Applied Language Science (LALS). University of Newcastle, Australia.
    Copot, Maria & Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes.
  • Phylogenetic comparative methods in everyday typology: With a case study of Pama-Nyungan laminals
    2024
    Changelings forum for historical sociolinguistics (invited talk). The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • Reconstructing numeral base and classifier word orders in Tibeto-Burman
    2023
    University of Newcastle Linguistics Seminar Series. University of Newcastle, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • Typological traits in linguistic phylogenetics: (Mis)adventures with phonotactics
    2022
    UMR7206 Eco-Anthropologie (EA) Seminar Series. Musée de l'Homme, CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Université de Paris, France.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • Trees, mountains, numerals and classifiers: Preliminary ancestral state reconstruction in Tibeto-Burman
    2022
    Surrey Linguistics Circle Lunchtime Seminar. Surrey Morphology Group, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • Phylogenetic comparative methods for common typological challenges: With a case study of Pama-Nyungan laminals
    2022
    DiLiS Seminar Series. Laboratoire Dynamique Du Langage, CNRS, Université Lyon 2, Lyon, France.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L.
  • Constituent order in subordinate clauses: A comparison of Mudburra, Warlmanpa and Warriyangga/Thiinma
    2022
    UWA Linguistics Seminar Series. University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
    Browne, Mitch, Jacqueline Cook, Amanda Hamilton-Holloway & Jayden L. Macklin-Cordes.
  • Phylogenetic comparative methods: What all the fuss is about, and how to use them in everyday research
    2021
    Language and Data Analysis Laboratory (LADAL) webinar. The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.
    Macklin-Cordes, Jayden L. & Erich R. Round.

Teaching

  • LING3350 Structure of English
    2025
    University of Newcastle, Australia
    Role: Lecturer
    3rd year undergraduate, 112 students
  • LING3350 Structure of English
    2024
    University of Newcastle, Australia
    Role: Lecturer
    3rd year undergraduate, 50 students
  • LING3350 Structure of English
    2024
    University of Newcastle, Australia
    Role: Lecturer
    3rd year undergraduate, 86 students
  • LING6910 Foundation of Linguistics
    2024
    University of Newcastle, Australia
    Role: Lecturer
    1st year masters, 5 students
  • LING3350 Structure of English
    2023
    University of Newcastle, Australia
    Role: Lecturer
    3rd year undergraduate, 74 students
  • LING3350 Structure of English
    2023
    University of Newcastle, Australia
    Role: Lecturer
    3rd year undergraduate, 78 students
  • LING3002 Syntax
    2023
    University of Newcastle, Australia
    Role: Lecturer
    3rd year undergraduate, 8 students
  • LING1005 Introduction to linguistics: the sound pattern of language
    2015
    University of Queensland, Australia
    Role: Lecturer
    1st year undergraduate, ~220 students
  • LING6105 Introduction to linguistics: phonetics and phonology
    2015
    University of Queensland, Australia
    Role: Lecturer
    1st year masters, ~30 students

Languages

  • English
    native
  • Italian
    conversational
  • French
    basic
  • Romanian
    basic
  • Spanish
    beginner
  • German
    beginner

Referees

Referees available on request.