Francis J. Nolan is Professor of

Phonetics Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that studies how humans produce and perceive sounds, or in the case of sign languages, the equivalent aspects of sign. Linguists who specialize in studying the physical properties of speech are phoneticians. ...

at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. Between 1993 and 1995 he was Secretary of the

International Phonetic Association The International Phonetic Association (IPA; French: ', ''API'') is an organization that promotes the scientific study of phonetics and the various practical applications of that science. The IPA's major contribution to phonetics is the Interna ...

, and from 1999 to 2003 its Vice-President. He specialises in phonetics and

phonology Phonology is the branch of linguistics that studies how languages or dialects systematically organize their sounds or, for sign languages, their constituent parts of signs. The term can also refer specifically to the sound or sign system of a ...

as well as in

forensic linguistics Forensic linguistics, legal linguistics, or language and the law, is the application of linguistic knowledge, methods, and insights to the forensic context of law, language, crime investigation, trial, and judicial procedure. It is a branch of ap ...

. He is currently President of the British Association of Academic Phoneticians. He was one of the co-editors of the 1999 ''Handbook of the International Phonetic Association'', the other being

John Esling John Henry Esling, (born 5 June 1949) is a Canadian linguist specializing in phonetics. He is a Professor Emeritus of Linguistics at the University of Victoria, where he taught from 1981 to 2014. Esling was president of the International Phonetic ...

. He co-designed the language of

Parseltongue In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, Magic in fiction, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual Physical law, laws of nature. Many fictional Magical creatures in Harry Potter, magical creatures exi ...

featured in the ''Harry Potter'' films.

External links

Francis Nolan's HomepageBritish Association of Academic Phoneticians homepage
Linguists from the United Kingdom Phoneticians Academics of the University of Cambridge Year of birth missing (living people) Living people {{UK-linguist-stub