Toril Opsahl

Toril Opsahl is Professor of Scandinavian Linguistics and Norwegian as a Second Language at the Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo. Her research examines multilingual language practices, language variation and change, workplace communication, and discourse markers.

Research interests include:

• Multilingual ideologies and policies
• Grammatical gender systems
• Sociolinguistic variation in urban environments
• Language contact phenomena
• Discourse analysis methodologies

Her publications analyze Norwegian language evolution, linguistic discrimination against migrants, and heritage language maintenance. She leads the NorPol project (2020-2024) and contributes to the GenVAC research initiative. Professor Opsahl received the 2010 Alliance Kunnskap Oslo's prize for doctoral research on Oslo's linguistic development and serves as deputy board member for The Norwegian Language Council.