Jonathan Edward Hodgess Roper

Jonathan Edward Hodgess Roper is an Associate Professor of English and Comparative Folklore at the University of Tartu’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities, within the Institute of Cultural Research. He holds a Doctor’s Degree from the University of Sheffield (2003) and has held senior research roles at Tartu since 2009. His research focuses on verbal charms, regional folklore, and comparative cultural studies.

Education:

• PhD in English Verbal Charms, University of Sheffield (2003)
• MA in Modern English Language and Cultural Tradition, University of Sheffield (1997)
• BA Hons in Russian Studies and Classics, Keele University (1995)

Research Interests: Folklore studies with emphasis on verbal charms, regional dialects, and comparative cultural traditions. His work explores the intersection of folklore with historical linguistics, ethnography, and oral traditions. Recent projects include analyzing dictionaries as folklore sources and examining speech genres in Newfoundland.

Grants & Leadership:

• Principal Investigator for “Speech Genres in Newfoundland” (2024-2025)
• Co-Investigator on major grants like “Vernacular Interpretations of the Incomprehensible” (2020-2024)
• Leadership roles in international committees (ISNFR Charms Committee, Sussex Centre for Folklore)

Labs/Teams: Affiliated with the Institute of Cultural Research, collaborating on projects at the intersection of folklore, linguistics, and cultural anthropology.