CURRICULUM VITAE
Kouamé Josué Akpoué, PhD
Academic Status: Available for Faculty Appointment
Location: Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Tagline: PhD - Theoretical and Documentary Linguistics - Formal Semantics - Formal Languages Design
🎯 Profile Summary
Doctoral Researcher in Linguistics specializing in formal semantics, with a primary focus on semantic composition and decomposition (at the word, phrase, sentence, and discourse levels). Experienced in testing theoretical semantic models against empirical, primary data from understudied languages (including Ivorian French, Baoulé, and other Kwa and Ivorian languages). Combines rigorous fieldwork methods with practical, self-taught engineering skills in formal language design (custom DSLs, human-oriented markup syntax) and open science architectures. Equipped to contribute immediately to cutting-edge research and innovative teaching in theoretical semantics and digital humanities.
🚀 Key Highlights
- From Field Data to Formal Theory: Rare dual expertise bridging empirical language documentation and field methodology with formal semantic testing on understudied non-Indo-European languages.
- Applied Formal Languages & Tool Design: Pragmatic designer of human-oriented, machine-readable specifications—creator of custom markup languages (WRIML), annotation/archiving systems (WRIDAL, WRIMLIFT), ASCII phonetic encodings (WRASCI), and scientific DSLs (phi).
- Open Science & Infrastructure Advocate: Founder of CILARCO (Côte d'Ivoire Linguistique Archive Ouverte), applying FAIR data principles, Git workflows, and Zenodo integration for sustainable African language preservation.
🎓 Education
| Degree |
Specialization / Track |
Institution & Year |
| Bachelor's Degree (Licence) |
Linguistics (Sciences du langage) |
Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 2014 |
| Master's Degree |
Linguistics (Sciences du langage)
Track: Language Description and Documentation
Honors: Highest Honors (Très Bien - 18/20)
|
Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 2016
Advisor: Prof. BOGNY Yapo Joseph
|
| PhD (Doctorat Unique) |
PhD in Linguistics (Sciences du langage)
Track: Language Description and Documentation
Honors: Highest Honors with Jury Congratulations
|
Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 2024
Advisor: Prof. BOGNY Yapo Joseph
|
🔬 Doctoral Dissertation
Title:Tense, Aspect, and Modality in Kwa Languages
Discipline:Linguistics – Descriptive and Formal Linguistics
Defense Year:2024 – Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan
Advisor:Prof. BOGNY Yapo Joseph (UFHB)
Jury Panel:
1.Prof. KOUADIO-N'GUESSAN Jérémie – Chair – ASCAD
2.Prof. BOGNY Yapo Joseph – Advisor – UFHB
3.Dr KACOU Fôba Antoine – Member – UFHB
4.Dr YANGRA Aboi François – Member – UAO
5.Dr KOUADIO Adou Pierre Kouakou – Member – UFHB
🔬 Research Interests
- Formal Semantics: Semantic compositionality and decompositionality (analyzing how sub-lexical and complex units assemble meaning across words, phrases, sentences, and discourse).
- Empirical & Typological Testing: Testing, refining, and extending formal semantic models using empirical data from understudied language structures (Kwa, Ivorian languages, Ivorian French).
- Linguistic Data Architecture: Design principles for human-centric, structured formats for primary linguistic data annotation and preservation.
🏫 Higher Education Teaching Experience
A. Supervised Teaching & Assistantships (Teaching Assistant)
2017–2019
Introduction to Formal Semantics | UFHB, Abidjan
Level: Undergraduate — Lecture Course
2017–2018
Semantics of Ivorian Languages | UFHB, Abidjan
Level: Master's
2016–2018
Minimalist Semantics | UFHB, Abidjan
Level: Master's
2017–2018
Minimalist Syntax | UFHB, Abidjan
Level: Master's
2017
Intensional Semantics | UFHB, Abidjan
Level: Master's
B. Led Seminars & Workshops
2017
Semantics Workshop on Negro-African Languages | The WeTalk, UFHB, Abidjan
Weekly Seminar — Target: Master's and Doctoral Students
2015
Introductory Seminar on the Minimalist Program | UFHB, Abidjan
Target: Master's and Doctoral Students
2018
Introduction to Minimalist Syntax | The WeTalk, UFHB, Abidjan
Introductory Workshops on Minimalism — Target: Doctoral Students
2018
Semantics in the Minimalist Program | The WeTalk, UFHB, Abidjan
Introductory Workshops on Minimalism — Target: Doctoral Students
2016
Introduction to Minimalist Semantics | The WeTalk, UFHB, Abidjan
Introductory Workshop on the Minimalist Program — Target: Master's and Doctoral Students
C. Student Co-supervision (via Supervised Tutoring)
2018–2020
Faboumy Fifavy Ruth. Semantic aspects of nominal determination in BétéMaster dissertation — Advisor: Prof. Bogny Yapo Joseph
2016–2018
Konan-Bosson Ange Christelle. Semantics of noun phrases in Wobé: A formal introductionMaster dissertation — Advisor: Prof. Bogny Yapo Joseph
2017–2019
Ahoundjo-Della Rita Alexise. Internal clause structure and constituent displacement in AkyéMaster dissertation — Advisor: Prof. Bogny Yapo Joseph
2023– Present
Atteby-Yapi Gohon Fabienne Stéphanie. Nominal syntax in EgaDoctoral thesis (In progress) — Advisor: Prof. Ahoua Firmin
🛠️ Technical & Methodological Skills
- Linguistic & Fieldwork Methods: Primary data collection, IPA transcription standards, corpus building, grammar documentation, elicitations.
- Software & Markups: LaTeX (Advanced macro/package design, expl3, amsmath), Markdown, XML, R (Data analysis & visualization).
- Formal Language Design & Tools: Custom DSL syntax specification, file format design, parsing logic for scientific/linguistic workflows.
- Digital Humanities & DevOps: Git/GitHub version control, Zenodo archiving, DOI minting, CC BY 4.0 open data licensing.
- Operating Systems: ChromeOS, Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora).
🛠️ Software Standards & Language Projects
WRIML
WRIting Markup Language
A novel, human-oriented markup language designed to match XML in rigor and extensibility while maximizing readability and authoring speed.
Annotation
WRIDAL & WRIMLIFT
Specialized tools and specifications engineered for efficient annotation, structured processing, and long-term archiving of primary linguistic data.
WRASCI
WRiting ASCii Ipa
An ASCII-input encoding standard mapping International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) characters using strict geometric suffix rules (inversion, reversal, rounding, barring).
The phi Project
Scientific DSL
A domain-specific language (DSL) tailored for scientific writing and automated multi-platform LaTeX compilation.
📑 Selected Publications & Productions
A. Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
[1]
Akpoué K. J. (2025). Introduction à la sémantique minimaliste. Ziglôbitha, n° 16, vol. 3, pp. 319–338.
[2]
Akpoué K. J. & Kpami Boni Carlos Mozer (2022). Structure de la coordination conjonctive des DP en Modjukru. Revue du LTML, n° 18, pp. 206–228.
[3]
Akpoué K. J. (2022). De la signification des noms et pronoms propres. Revue du LTML (Hors-série n° 1 : Actes ABILANG 4 – 2021), pp. 127–144.
[4]
Akpoué K. J. (2022). Pour une sémantique formelle componentielle : Introduction à la sémantique néo-componentielle. Revue du LTML (Hors-série n° 1 : Actes ABILANG 4 – 2021), pp. 5–26.
[5]
Akpoué K. J. & Kouakou N'Guessan Glwadys (2022). Remarques sur la définitude en Baoulé. Revue du LTML (Hors-série n° 1 : Actes ABILANG 4 – 2021), pp. 145–165.
[6]
Akpoué K. J. & Kouakou N'Guessan Glwadys (2020). La définitude en baoulé : une introduction formelle. In : The roles of West-African languages: Development and integration. Paris : L'Harmattan, Col. Études africaines.
[7]
Akpoué K. J., Bogny Yapo J. & Kpami Boni Carlos Mozer (2018). etʃi et marquage du temps dans le DP en modjukru. Annales de la Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines, 48/A, pp. 41–56.
[8]
Akpoué K. J. & Kouakou N'Guessan Glwadys (2018). Attitude des locuteurs et vitalité des langues : cas du Bere, langue en danger de Côte d'Ivoire. Revue Della/Afrique, 1.2., pp. 153–169.
[9]
Akpoué K. J. (2018). Elicitation des morphèmes de temps dans les langues naturelles via le test de focalisation du temps : Cas du baoulé et du wobé. Revue du CERLS (Hors-Série : Actes du 2e colloque « Le verbe dans tous les sens », oct. 2018), vol. 2, pp. 25–34.
B. Edited Conference Proceedings
[10]
Akpoué K. J. & Kouakou N'Guessan Gwladys (2018). Encodage lexical des TAM dans les langues naturelles : cas du Bere et du Baoulé. In : España en contacto con Africa, sus pueblos y sus Culturas, pp. 13–25.
[11]
Akpoué K. J. & Ahoundjo-Della Rita Alexise (2018). Coordination et Subordination dans quelques langues Kwa. In : Structure du Nom, du SN et de la Phrase dans les langues Volta-Congo et Mande, pp. 215–224.
C. Oral Conference Presentations (Unpublished)
[12]
Akpoué K. J. (2023). Quand les adverbes et les clauses adverbiales révèlent les temps du baoulé. Colloque international de Bonoua, Oct. 3–4, 2023, UFHB, Abidjan.
[13]
Akpoué K. J. (2023). Remarks on the syntax of reported speech in Baule. Reported Discourse Within Grammar, July 5–7, 2023, CNRS, Villejuif.
[14]
Akpoué K. J. (2023). Strong articles as topic markers. ALS-LSA Workshop, LSA Summer Institute, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
[15]
Akpoué K. J. (2019). Remarques sur la sémantique des noms propres. II Coloquio, UFHB, Abidjan.
[16]
Akpoué K. J. (2019). Comitative coordinators: some empirical evidences. 31st West African Languages Congress, UFHB, Abidjan.
[17]
Akpoué K. J. (2018). De la proéminence aspectuelle des langues africaines. 3rd ABILANG Conference, Université Alassane Ouattara, Bouaké.
[18]
Akpoué K. J. (2018). Temps passés et temps non-finis dans les langues Kwa et Kru. Colloque de Bonoua 2, Bonoua, Côte d'Ivoire.
[19]
Akpoué K. J. & Agnissoni Sidoine (2018). Temps, aspects et modalité en nouchi. Colloque de Bonoua 2, Bonoua, Côte d'Ivoire.
[20]
Akpoué K. J. (2017). Coordination in Kwa and Mande languages. 30th West African Languages Congress / 10th LAG, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.
[21]
Akpoué K. J. (2017). Les séquences coordonnées dans quelques langues mandé. CLG2016 Conference / Henri Frei Workshop, University of Geneva.
D. Web Publications & Online Scientific Resources
[23]
Akpoué K. J. (2017).
Linguistic expert for Baoulé (Agba) – TerraLing Conjunction and Disjunction Group. terraling.com/groups/8[25]
Akpoué K. J. (2017).
Linguistic expert for Ivorian French – TerraLing Conjunction and Disjunction Group. terraling.com/groups/8
🔬 Fieldwork & Research Projects
2020–2023
Collaborator – "Typology of Cumulativity" ProjectPrincipal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Viola Schmitt (MIT)
2019
Linguistic Fieldwork on Aburé in Ebra (Côte d'Ivoire)Initiator: Kôkô Irène — Collaborators: Assièhoussou Aya Naomie, Tokpa Vénance
2018
Field Assistant – Prof. Jeffrey Heath (University of Michigan)Fieldwork on Bere grammar in Bonosso
2018
Fieldwork on TAM and Information Structure of Modjukru in KpasWith: Kpami Boni Carlos Mozer & Koffi Koffi
2017
Fieldwork on Bere Grammar in BonossoDirector: Prof. Bogny Yapo Joseph
🌐 Academic Service & Leadership
2026–Present
Founder, CILARCO GitHub OrganizationManaging an open-access repository platform dedicated to distributing public linguistic corpora under CC BY 4.0 licenses using CITATION.cff workflows.
2022–Present
President of WeTalkPlatform for scientific presentations and early-career researcher training — UFHB, Abidjan
2019
Secretariat Member – 31st West African Languages CongressUFHB, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
2018
Secretariat Member – 3rd ABILANG ConferenceUniversité Alassane Ouattara, Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire
2018
Administrator – TerraLing SSWL Grouphttps://terraling.com/groups/7
2017
Organizer – Seminar "SSWL: Comparative Syntax of Ivorian Languages"UFHB / UCLA, Abidjan
✈️ Scientific Missions & Travel
July 2023
Conference "Reported Discourse Within Grammar" — CNRS, Villejuif, France
July 2023
LSA Summer Institute — University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
Nov. 2017
30th West African Languages Congress — University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
June 2017
CLG2016 Conference / Henri Frei Workshop — University of Geneva, Switzerland