Monika Fritz-Scheuplein

Dr. Monika Fritz-Scheuplein is a full-time Researcher at the University of Würzburg, affiliated with the Institute of German Philology. She serves as the team leader of the Lower Franconian Dialect Institute (UDI), focusing on dialect preservation and research in Lower Franconia. Her career at the university spans over three decades, including roles as a scientific collaborator and dialectology expert since 1991.

Education

• PhD (2000): Universität Würzburg. Dissertation: "Geteilter Dialekt? Untersuchungen zur gegenwärtigen Dialektsituation im ehemaligen deutsch-deutschen Grenzgebiet."
• Magister Artium (1990): Universität Würzburg. Thesis: "Jugendsprachlicher Wortschatz in Unterfranken. Eine empirische Untersuchung."

Research Focus

Fritz-Scheuplein specializes in the dialectology of Lower Franconia, with emphasis on dialect lexicography, phonetics, sociolinguistics, and cultural onomastics. Her work includes documenting dialectal variations, analyzing place nicknames, and promoting dialect awareness in educational contexts. Key research areas:

• Dialect dictionaries and digital archiving (e.g., Bayerische Dialektdatenbank)
• Dialect syntax and phonology in transitional regions
• Public engagement through projects like "Fränki" (student dialect research)
• Cultural studies of dialects in media, humor, and folklore

Her recent publications (2015–2018) explore trends in regional linguistics, including dialect usage in social media, syntactic variations across German borders, and the role of dialects in identity formation. Articles frequently integrate computational methods for dialect data analysis and public dissemination.

Grants & Advising

No specific grants, awards, or supervised students are mentioned in the source material.

Labs & Teams

She leads the Lower Franconian Dialect Institute (UDI), managing dialect research, public outreach, and educational initiatives. Collaborates with regional institutions to document and promote Bavarian dialects.