Eskil Blaaflat Mundal serves as a Doctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages (ILoS) within the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Oslo, where he conducts specialized research in French linguistics with emphasis on sociophonetic phenomena and language variation in urban contexts. His academic credentials include: Master's degree in French Language from the University of Oslo, focusing on diachronic and sociophonetic analysis of nasal vowel pronunciation in the Paris region Mundal's research program centers on sociolinguistic dynamics in contemporary French speech, particularly examining how social identity intersects with phonetic implementation. His doctoral project investigates fricative epithesis—the fricativization of closed vowels at rhythm group boundaries—in the 17th arrondissement of Paris through sociolinguistic and metalinguistic interviews. Core research domains include: Sociophonetics : Quantitative analysis of vowel fricativization as a social marker Language Variation and Change : Tracking phonological evolution in Parisian French Lexicography-Dialectology Interface : Documenting regional lexical-phonetic correlations Historical Linguistics : Diachronic perspectives on modern phonological patterns Urban Sociolinguistics : Social indexicality in metropolitan speech communities Phonological Theory : Modeling sound change mechanisms in connected speech He actively participates in three institutional research collectives: Language Change research group Linguistic variation research group Phonology research group
Becky Brown is a Professor at Purdue University with dual appointments in the Department of Linguistics and Department of French. Educational Background: Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Texas-Austin, specializing in Language, Linguistics, and Sociolinguistics Research Interests: Linguistics Sociolinguistics Language Variation French Language Communities Social Identity in Discourse Language Acquisition Her work examines sociocultural dimensions of language with emphasis on French-speaking contexts, bridging theoretical frameworks and real-world linguistic behavior. Contact: bbrown@purdue.edu
Dr. Susan Foster-Cohen serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Canterbury, where she has maintained an appointment since November 6, 2000. Her academic career spans multiple international institutions, including previous positions as Senior Lecturer at the British Institute in Paris, Associate Professor at Northern Arizona University, and research roles at the University of Southern California. Her educational background includes a PhD from Lancaster University (1976-1980), a PGCE from St. Martin's Training College (1975-1976), and a BA from Lancaster University (1972-1975). She is proficient in French, enabling her international scholarly work. Her research focuses on child language acquisition across diverse populations, examining both theoretical and applied aspects of language development in typically developing and disordered contexts. Dr. Foster-Cohen's scholarly work demonstrates a clear evolution from foundational research in language acquisition to specialized investigations of developmental trajectories in children with complex disabilities. Her recent publications (2020-2025) increasingly explore the intersection of musical play and language development, while her earlier work (2017-2020) established significant contributions to understanding morpho-lexical development in children with Down syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Her research consistently examines how different communication modalities support language acquisition in children with developmental challenges. Her publications in journals like Frontiers in Psychology and the International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders have garnered notable citations, reflecting her impact in the field of language development research. Her collaborative work with researchers including T. Macrae, J. Newbury, and A. van Bysterveldt demonstrates sustained research partnerships focused on language development in children with disabilities. Dr. Foster-Cohen has supervised graduate students, including Beth Rees, whose research examined hearing monitoring in children with Down syndrome. Her practical experience as Director of The Champion Centre (2004-2020) complements her academic work, bridging theoretical research with real-world application in supporting children with developmental challenges.
Benjamin Peter serves as Associate Professor at Université Sainte-Anne in Nova Scotia, Canada, and as research assistant/habilitand at the Department of Romance Philology at Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany. Starting in the winter semester 2025/26, he will assume the position of Acting Professor for Romance Linguistics and Cultural Studies at Leibniz University Hannover. His academic affiliations include membership in the German Association of Romance Language Studies (DRV), German Hispanist Association (DHV), Society for Canadian Studies (GKS), and The Canadian-Française Association for the Advancement of Sciences (l'Acfas). Ph.D. in Romance Philology (2018, University of Kiel, summa cum laude) Master of Arts in Romance Studies (Spanish/French) and English Studies (2011-2012, Ruhr University Bochum) Bachelor of Arts in Romance Studies (Spanish/French) and English Studies (2006-2011, Ruhr University Bochum) Dr. Peter's research focuses on linguistic anthropology, cognitive grammar, and discourse analysis of language variation, with particular expertise in French and Spanish varieties across different regions. His work examines language contact phenomena, glottopolitics, and the social semiotization of language in contexts including Acadia, Quebec, Andalusia, and Catalonia. His research methodology combines cognitive linguistic approaches with anthropological perspectives to analyze how linguistic practices shape and are shaped by social contexts. His recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on discourse-pragmatic change, particularly examining past tenses in Acadian French and the discursive construction of linguistic varieties. The publications reveal a methodological trend combining empirical cognitive linguistics with discourse analysis, focusing on the interplay between linguistic structures and social meaning. His work spans theoretical contributions to enregisterment theory while maintaining practical applications for understanding language variation in specific cultural contexts. Werner Krauss Prize of the German Association of Hispanists for the dissertation (2019) Award for innovative, forward-looking teaching through the BMBF-funded project for successful teaching and learning (PerLe) (2019) Dr. Peter actively supervises graduate students and has secured research funding through multiple projects. He co-leads the international research project 'Culture of Regional Multilingualism' involving researchers from Germany, France, Spain, Denmark, the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Venezuela. His current habilitation project 'Past tenses in discourse-pragmatic change' involves extensive fieldwork in Acadian communities and analysis of historical documents from archives in Shippagan, Moncton, Pointe-de-L'Église, Pubnico, Petit-de-Grat, and Miscouche. He has conducted multiple research stays in Acadia, Quebec, Andalusia, and Brittany, building collaborative networks across North America and Europe. Dr. Peter coordinates the Corpus Acadien Diachronique (CorAcadieQue), a collection of historical data on Acadian French that will be gradually made available to other researchers. He has organized several international conferences, including the Online Conference 'Acabride: Langues et littératures acadiennes contemporaines' (2022) and the international conference 'Methods for Researching Regional Multilingualism' at Kiel University (2018).
Chantal White serves as Associate Professor of Language and Literature in the Department of French Studies within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Sainte-Anne University, Nova Scotia. She joined the institution in August 2014 after completing her doctoral studies at New York University, returning to her Acadian roots in the region. Education: PhD in Linguistic Anthropology, New York University MA in Linguistics, New York University MA in Linguistics, University of Moncton BA, University of Moncton Her research examines linguistic ideologies in language contact scenarios, with particular focus on media representation of linguistic practices. She investigates how radio and print media circulate language ideologies, analyzes graphic representation of local varieties in Acadian newspapers like Le Courrier de la Nouvelle-Écosse , and explores phonetic variations in accent-based inclusion/exclusion dynamics. Her work bridges theoretical sociolinguistics with community-focused Acadian language studies. Publications demonstrate consistent focus on bilingual advertising spaces and historical media representations, revealing patterns in how linguistic practices are staged and normalized through cultural institutions. Her 2016 article on Quebec's cultural radio advertising exemplifies this media-centered approach to language ideology. Scientific Awards: No awards specified in source material. Advising and Grants: The text provides no details regarding graduate students, research grants, or funded projects beyond her collaborative work with Université de Moncton colleagues on Acadian accent studies. Collaborations: Actively partners with researchers from Université de Moncton on projects examining linguistic representations in Acadian communities, particularly regarding heritage tourism contexts and media portrayals.
Dr. Annette Harrison serves as a Professor of Intercultural Studies at Corban University's School of Ministry. She holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics: Language, Interaction and Social Organization from the University of California, Santa Barbara, complemented by an M.A. in Linguistics from the same institution, a Certificate in Linguistic Studies from the Summer Institute of Linguistics, a Diplôme Supérieur d’Etudes Françaises Modernes from Alliance Française in Paris, and a B.A. in French from Northwestern College. Her research encompasses language acquisition, sociocultural methodologies, and cross-cultural engagement, with specific foci on: Multilingualism in religious contexts Linguistic theory for language learners Research ethics in cross-cultural fieldwork Discourse analysis in African languages Social justice through linguistic accessibility Publications primarily explore sociolinguistic patterns in African communities, mission training paradigms, and historical linguistics, demonstrating consistent engagement with language documentation and cross-cultural communication challenges over a 25-year scholarly career. She maintains active fieldwork involvement, having served 23 years with Wycliffe Bible Translators across Francophone Africa, conducting ethnolinguistic research and training translators at the Bangui Evangelical School of Theology. She currently leads international service trips and teaches courses in anthropology, TESOL, and justice studies.
Yannis Kyriakides is a Cypriot-born composer and sound artist currently teaching composition and multimedia at the Royal Conservatoire Den Haag. Born in Limassol, Cyprus in 1969, he emigrated to Britain in 1975 and has been living in the Netherlands since 1992. He studied musicology at York University and composition with Louis Andriessen and Dick Raaijmakers, earning his PhD from Leiden University on concepts of multimedia composition with his dissertation 'Imagined Voices'. As a composer, Kyriakides explores the creation of new forms and hybrids of media, particularly focusing on the relationship between words and music through systems of encoding information into sound, voice synthesis, and projected text. His recent work has moved into interactive and generative scores. He has composed nearly 200 works spanning music theatre, audiovisual installations, and electroacoustic compositions for chamber ensembles, large ensembles, and orchestra. Kyriakides is a founding member of the electro-acoustic ensemble Maze and co-founded the CD label Unsounds with Andy Moor and Isabelle Vigier. His compositional approach often involves creating immersive experiences that challenge conventional boundaries between performer, score, and audience. French Qwartz award for the CD 'Antichamber' Dutch Toonzetters prize for 'Paramyth' Willem Pijper prize for 'Dreams of the Blind' Honorary mention at Prix Ars Electronica for 'Wordless' First prize in International Rostrum of Composers for 'Words and Song Without Words' Johan Wagenaar prize for his oeuvre Kyriakides' recent works demonstrate a continued exploration of media scores, interactive systems, and the relationship between text and sound. His research into generative and interactive scores, as evidenced in works like 'Mutability' and 'Beyond Paper: Attributes of the Media Score,' reveals a sophisticated approach to expanding traditional musical notation. His work often incorporates technological innovation while maintaining deep connections to cultural and historical contexts, particularly his Cypriot heritage.
