I am writing my linguistics thesis on therapy methods of teaching indirect speech acts to patients with the autisim spectrum disorder Asperger’s syndrome, based on Searle’s theories of speech acts and illocutionary force.  The paper encompases three broad fields of interest: linguistics, philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience (insofar as the language acquisition process is reflected biologically).  The professors of my department have washed their hands of it saying it is above their heads and outside of their personal academic interests - but only doing so after I had long since committed to it as my topic.  As such, I am left to wander the campus with an orphan project hoping some teacher that has more than two neurons to rub together when it is cold out might actually want to help me.  I am also looking for resources in NIMH, ASHA, LSA, and SON.  If anyone has any ideas of other organizations that might help, or individuals they know doing research in this vein, please let me know.

Until then.. syntax.