Robert Podesva

LSA 229: Sociophonetics

Robert J. Podesva (Assistant Professor, Georgetown University) conducts research in the field of sociolinguistic variation. His research examines the intersection of phonetics and social identity, focusing on the meanings encoded in the accent features of language variation. Viewing speech as a resource for constructing multifaceted identities and personae, he is currently investigating the linguistic practices of Washington, D.C. residents, gay professionals, U.S. politicians, and adolescent girls in the northwest of England (in collaboration with Dr. Emma Moore). He co-edited the book Language and Sexuality, a collection of articles exploring the link between language, queer theory, and sexual identity. Podesva has also worked in the field of speech technology, where he has studied phonetic and phonological variation as a function of dialect and gender in English, Pashto, and Tagalog.

External website: http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/rjp39/