معرفی
Lida Cope is a Professor and Interim Chair in the Department of English at East Carolina University (ECU). She holds dual M.A. degrees from Palacký University (Czech Republic) and the University of Arizona, as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona. As an external research associate at the University of Texas at Austin, she directs the Texas Czech Legacy Project, an initiative documenting the unique Texas Czech dialect through an open-access digital archive. She also coordinates ECU’s Linguistics program.
Her research focuses on language attrition, heritage language maintenance, and the intersection of language, culture, and identity in Texas Czech communities. Key themes include the sociolinguistic dynamics of diaspora communities, multilingualism in minority contexts, and ethnolinguistic identity formation. Her work bridges applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and cultural anthropology.
Cope teaches courses in descriptive linguistics, TESOL methodologies, language structure, and sociolinguistics. Her publications span academic journals like International Journal of the Sociology of Language and Language and Education, as well as edited volumes addressing endangered language documentation and revitalization strategies. She actively collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to address language preservation challenges in diasporic communities.
Her current projects emphasize community-driven documentation of Texas Czech linguistic and cultural heritage, leveraging digital tools for long-term preservation. She also contributes to pedagogical innovations in linguistics education, particularly in preparing TESOL professionals to work with heritage language speakers.
