معرفی
Professor Devyani Sharma is a Professor of Linguistics at Queen Mary University of London, affiliated with the Department of Linguistics within the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film. She holds a PhD from Stanford University. Her research focuses on sociolinguistics, style variation, migration, bilingualism, new varieties of English, syntax, typology, and accent bias. She has conducted extensive studies on diasporic communities, particularly Punjabi Londoners, examining dialect development and social change through projects like 'Generations of London English' and 'Accent Bias in Britain.'
Her work integrates quantitative and qualitative methods, including sociolinguistic interviews, acoustic analysis, and discourse analysis. Notable contributions include studies on the role of social networks in language variation, the concept of 'lectal focusing,' and the impact of accent biases in professional contexts. She has authored/co-authored books such as From Deficit to Dialect: The Evolution of English in India and Singapore (2023) and edited volumes including English in the Indian Diaspora (2014).
Professor Sharma collaborates on public engagement initiatives like Teach Real English! and Multilingual Capital, aiming to improve linguistic education and address accent bias in society. Her research has been funded by grants from the ESRC and other UK organizations, totaling over £412,000 for major projects. She serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Sociolinguistics and contributes to international conferences and workshops.
