معرفی
Meilutė Ramonienė is a Professor of Humanities at Vilnius University's Department of Lithuanian Studies, where she has been teaching since 2011. She previously served as Associate Professor and Department Chair from 1992-2011. Her academic career spans over four decades, including lecturing at the University of Helsinki from 1995-1999 and serving as an Assistant at Vilnius University's Department of Lithuanian Language from 1976-1990.
Dr. Ramonienė earned her education in Lithuanian language and literature with a specialization in classical philology from Vilnius University's Faculty of Philology in 1976, followed by her PhD in 1987 with a dissertation on Lithuanian Surnames at the End of the Eighteenth Century. She is fluent in English, Russian, and French.
Her research focuses on applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and onomastics, with particular emphasis on language policy, heritage language maintenance in diaspora communities, dialectology, and urban multilingualism. Her work often examines the sociolinguistic landscape of Lithuania, exploring language attitudes, language behavior, and the changing linguistic practices in urban environments. She has conducted extensive research on Lithuanian diaspora communities, investigating how language, identity, and cultural heritage intersect across generations.
Her recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward examining the emotional dimensions of language attitudes, family language policy in diaspora contexts, and the complex relationship between language maintenance and identity formation. Her work bridges theoretical sociolinguistics with practical applications for language education and policy.
- State Award of Science (Applied Sciences), 2006
- Grant from the British Academy for the research of the ecolinguistics situation in Lithuania (2001–2003)
- Grant from the Curriculum Resource Centre of Central European University for the development of the course of applied linguistics (master programme)
Professor Ramonienė has received significant research funding throughout her career, including European Commission projects and multiple grants from Lithuanian research councils. She has supervised numerous research projects focused on language policy, sociolinguistic surveys, and heritage language maintenance. She serves as President of the Lithuanian Applied Linguistics Association LITAKA and is active in the Baltic languages and Integration Network (BLaIN).
Her work extends beyond academia through extensive science outreach, including public lectures worldwide, media interviews, and contributions to language policy discussions at national and international levels.
