Jan Heegård Petersen

Primary fields of research

• Dansk as heritage language
• Phonetic reduction
• Documentation of the Indo-Aryan language Kalasha (Northwest Pakistan)
  
  

Current research

I mit nuværende forskningsprojekt undersøger jeg dansk som arvesprog ('heritage language') i USA og Argentina. Forskningen omfatter undersøgelser af forandringer i fonetikken, morfologien, syntaksen, leksikon og sprogets diskursområder. Denne forskning udføres i samarbejde med Karoline Kühl og Anna Sofie Hartling under projektet 'Danske stemmer i USA og Argentina'.

Jeg interesserer mig også for sammenhængen mellem fonetisk reduktion og grammatisk og pragmatisk funktion. Med 'fonetisk reduktion' menes det fænomen i sproget at vi kan udtale ord og ordforbindelser på en skala mellem meget distinkt ('maksimalt ekspanderet') og kraftigt reduceret ('ekstremt komprimeret'). 

Gennem en årrække har jeg også arbejdet med dokumentation af det truede sprog kalasha, der tales i det nordvestligste Pakistan. Arbejdet har indtill videre resulteret i udgivelser om kalashas lydsystem, grammatik, fortællestil, navneskikke, kulturel overlevelse samt om forhold vedrørende feltarbejde.

Teaching

I teach all language modules within Danish. I also teach all basic subjects in Linguistics.

I can supervise BA- and MA-projects within all subjects of Danish grammar and phonetics, cognitive and functional linguistics, typology, language change, bilingualism, field linguistics, language contact and language attitudes. 

CV

Academic degrees

• 2006 PhD in Linguistics, Dept. of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen
• 1998 MA in General Linguistics, Dept. of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen
• 1993 BA in General Linguistics, Dept. of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen

Academic career

• 2019- Associate Professor, Dept. of Nordic Studies and Linguistics (Section for Danish Studies), University of Copenhagen.
• 2014-2018 Associate Professor, the research project Danish Voices in the Americas, Dept. of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen (Supported by the A. P. Møller Foundation, the Carlsberg Foundation, and the Faculty of the Humanities, University of Copenhagen)
• 2010-2014 Post. doc. researcher Dept. of International Business Communication, CBS (Supported by the Carlsberg Foundation)
• 2007-2014 External lecturer, Dept. of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen 
• 2008-2010 Lexicographer, editor Politiken's Dictionary, JP/Politikens Hus
• 2006-2008 Languae teacher, Vestegnens Sprog- og Kompetencecenter
• 2002-2006 PhD student, Dept. of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen 
• 1998-2002 Lexicographer, editor, The Danish Dictionary The Society for Danish Language and Litterature

Honorary positions

• 2013- Treasure for the Linguistic Circle of Copenhagen
• 2011- Editorial member of NyS
• 2010- External evaluator for Linguistics at Danish universities
• 2007- Member of the committee and co-founder of Network for linguistic PhD students