Elwys De Stefani

Prof. Dr. Elwys De Stefani holds the Chair of French and Italian Linguistics at the University of Heidelberg since 2021. He obtained his licentiate from the University of Basel in 1999 and his PhD in 2001. He has held academic positions across Europe (Basel, Neuchâtel, Freiburg, Lyon, Bern, Leuven) and served as a Visiting Professor at Regensburg, Freiburg, and Unisinos (Brazil). His research focuses on syntax of spoken languages, sociolinguistics, multimodal interaction, and onomastics. Current projects include studies on language choice in public spaces and collaborative grammar in Italian talk-in-interaction. He supervises PhD projects on multilingual encounters, deontic moments in speech, and interaction in medical waiting areas. De Stefani co-edits Research on Language and Social Interaction and Vox Romanica, and chairs the Tenure Board at Heidelberg. Over 150 peer-reviewed publications span monographs, edited volumes, and journal articles exploring topics like interactional onomastics, mobility in discourse, and pandemic language politics. His work bridges theoretical linguistics with applied research in commercial interactions, guided tours, and service encounters.

Education:

• Licentiate in Romance Philology, University of Basel (1999)
• PhD in Linguistics, University of Basel (2001)
• Venia Docendi in Romance Philology, University of Bern (2008)

Research Interests: Syntax of spoken languages, language contact, sociolinguistics, multimodal analysis, transcription theory, onomastics, and conversation analysis. Current projects investigate multilingual interactions in urban contexts and the role of embodied conduct in dialogue.

Key Publications: Includes monographs like «Ah petta ecco, io prendo questi che mi piacciono» (2011) and edited volumes such as Hundert Jahre ‘Italienische Umgangssprache’ (2023). Recent articles address pandemic language politics, spatial interaction in guided tours, and café encounter dynamics.