Ruth Videsott

Ruth Videsott is a linguist at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano (UniBZ), affiliated with the Faculty of Educational Sciences. She specializes in sociolinguistics, multilingualism, and Ladin language studies, with a particular focus on the linguistic situation in South Tyrol's Ladin valleys. Her research and teaching activities center on language acquisition, didactics of L1, and the documentation and preservation of minority languages in Alpine regions.

Dr. Videsott's research interests encompass sociolinguistics of plurilingualism with particular reference to the Ladin area, language acquisition and didactics of L1, and the study of dialects and minority languages. Her work examines how multilingualism functions in educational settings, particularly in the context of Ladin language and culture in the Alpine region. She investigates language ideologies in society and education, exploring how linguistic diversity is managed in classrooms and communities where German, Italian, and Ladin coexist. Her research provides valuable insights into language contact phenomena and the challenges of maintaining minority languages in multilingual environments.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on corpus linguistics (particularly the AlpiLinK Corpus), language contact phenomena, and the documentation of the Ladin language. Her work spans multiple dimensions of linguistic study, from child language acquisition in multilingual settings to the impact of social media on minority languages. Videsott's research consistently addresses practical applications for language education and preservation in the Ladin valleys of South Tyrol, with a notable increase in scholarly output since 2022.

Dr. Videsott teaches courses including Sociolinguistics of Plurilingualism with particular reference to the Ladin area (85263 · L-FIL-LET/09) for the Specialization course in Ladin language and culture and Alpine anthropology, and Language acquisition and didactics of L1 (13405D · L-FIL-LET/09 and 13405E · L-FIL-LET/09) for the One-tier Master's degree in Educational Sciences for Primary Education - Ladin Language Section. She also participates in doctoral studies in Linguistics, contributing to advanced linguistic research training.

Her academic engagement extends to practical educational initiatives, as evidenced by her involvement in events where students discover Tyrolean dialects and Ladin language varieties. She has contributed to important discussions about language ideologies in society and education, including debates about dedicated school classes for children with no German skills, demonstrating the real-world impact of her research on educational policy and practice in multilingual South Tyrol.