Renée Lambert-Brétière is an Associate Professor of Linguistics, French, and Intercultural Communication at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She specializes in documenting endangered languages and cross-linguistic typology, with a focus on Fon (Benin), Kwoma (Papua New Guinea), and Innu (Canada). Education: Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics, Université du Québec à Montréal Master of Arts in Linguistics, Université du Québec à Montréal Master of Advanced Studies in Theoretical, Descriptive, and Computational Linguistics, Université de Paris Doctor of Philosophy, Université de Lyon Her research integrates functional-cognitive linguistics with community-engaged methodologies to analyze typologically diverse languages. She investigates polysynthetic morphology (Innu), serial verb constructions (Fon), and language revitalization strategies, particularly through democratizing digital documentation tools for Indigenous communities. Recent publications and conferences highlight her work on Kwoma identity, Innu clause chaining, and Fon grammaticalization. She collaborates with scholars like Lynn Drapeau and Claire Lefebvre, emphasizing Construction Grammar and typological frameworks. Her projects, such as the Documentation linguistique de l’innu featured in The Academic Minute , address ethical challenges in language documentation and leverage technology to bridge gaps between researchers and Indigenous speakers. Key affiliations include UMBC’s Department of Modern Languages, Linguistics & Intercultural Communication. She teaches courses like Syntax , Linguistic Typology , and Contact Languages , reflecting her expertise in language structure, sociopolitical contexts, and creole genesis.






