Masako Ueda Fidler

Masako Ueda Fidler is a Professor of Slavic Studies at Brown University, specializing in Czech language, culture, and linguistics. Originally from Japan, she completed her undergraduate studies in Russian literature at Waseda University before earning her PhD in Slavic Linguistics from UCLA in 1991.

Her research spans multiple linguistic domains with particular expertise in:

• Cognitive linguistics and sound iconicity
• Discourse and sociolinguistics analysis
• Comparative linguistics (Czech, Russian, and Japanese)
• Corpus-assisted discourse analysis
• Onomatopoeia and sound symbolism

Professor Fidler's scholarly work consistently explores the relationship between language structure, cultural context, and cognitive processes. Her publications reveal a strong emphasis on Czech linguistic phenomena while maintaining comparative perspectives with Russian and Japanese. A recurring theme is the connection between sound patterns and meaning, particularly in expressive language forms.

Her notable achievements include the 2015 Best Book in Slavic Linguistics award from AATSEEL for 'Onomatopoeia in Czech' (2014) and the National Award for Best Teaching in 2004.

• 1984-86: Sokol Fellowship in Slavic Languages and Literatures
• 1987-88: Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Award, UCLA
• 1996-98: President of North American Association of Teachers of Czech
• 2004: National Award for Best Teaching
• 2015: Best Book in Slavic Linguistics

Professor Fidler actively mentors students through her teaching of Czech language courses and specialized topics like Czech animation and national identity. Her current research includes the 'Needle-in-a-Haystack Project' with Charles University and participation in the 'Threat-Defuser' project on hybrid warfare funded through 2026.

She serves as faculty liaison for Brown-Charles University relations and maintains active involvement in professional organizations including AATSEEL and the International Cognitive Linguistics Association.