Dr Catharina Peersman

Lecturer

Telephone: (0114) 222 0637

Qualifications

BA French and Spanish, MA Linguistics, MA Medieval Studies, PhD French Linguistics (KULeuven)

Biography

As is often the case with Belgian academics, I did all my studies at the same university (KULeuven): I obtained a BA in French and Spanish (2001), an MA in French Linguistics (2003), a specialisation MA in Medieval Studies, my teacher's formation and a degree in the translation of French and English governmental texts (all in 2004) and finally a PhD (2009). Following the completion of my PhD on the rise of written vernaculars in medieval Flemish charters, I took up two postdoctoral fellowships: one from the Belgian American Educational Foundation at the University of Minnesota (2009-10) and another from the Research Foundation-Flanders, once again at the KULeuven (2009-2012). As a postdoc, I taught various classes and seminars ranging from the analysis of Béroul's Tristan over French historical texts to applied linguistics.

Research Interests

Language perception and language use of medieval French, always in relation to other available languages (Latin and other vernaculars)
The rise of written vernaculars in medieval Europe, specifically in non-literary texts (e.g. charters)
Diachronic evolution of language and identity (non-literary and literary texts)
Edition of Old French texts
The medieval roots of the Belgian language problem; language use and perception in Belgian media

Current and Recent Research Projects

Romano-Germanic Encounters in the Low Countries (thematic session at the 19th Sociolinguistics Symposium, Aug. 2012, Berlin)
Edition of the Lai du Conseil, with J. Rider and B. Gregoriu
Language perception and language use in the narration of the Franco-Flemish conflict (1297-1307); the sociolinguistic impact of 1302 (since 2009)
Collaboration with the CNRS research unit UMR 8094 LATTICE, correcting the computerized morpho-syntactic labeling by SATO software of the Roman de la Rose ou de Guillaume de Dole (2010)

Key Recent Publications

Rider, J. - Grigoriu, B.E. - Peersman, C. eds. Le Lai du Conseil. Liverpool Online Series - Critical Editions of French texts. (autumn 2012)
2012. L'essor des langues vernaculaires dans les chartes de Ninove. Perspectives sociolinguistiques sur l’essor et l’emploi de l’ancien français dans les chartes de l’abbaye 1137-1350. Presses Académiques francophones
2012. "Written Vernaculars in Medieval and Renaissance Times". In: J.M. Hernández-Campoy - J.C. Conde-Silvestre, The Handbook of Historical Sociolinguistics, Wiley-Blackwell, 639-654.
2011. "Se battre ou ne pas se battre: telle est la question? Perception langagière en Flandre". Romaneske 36 (1), 3-8.
2009. "Une approche actuelle de matériaux médiévaux: les chartes de l'abbaye de Ninove sous l'angle de la sociolinguistique historique". In: D. AQUINO, S. COTELLI, A. KRISTOL éds., Sociolinguistique historique du domaine gallo-roman. Enjeux et méthodologies, Peter Lang, 161-185.
2008. "Litteris vulgariter in lingua romana expositis : l'ancien français dans les chartes de l'abbaye de Ninove". In: Y.LEPAGE & C. MILAT éds., Pour s’onor croistre. Mélanges offerts à Pierre Kunstmann, Editions David, 289-301.
2008. "De opkomst van de volkstalen in de oorkonden van de abdij van Ninove. Case-study van een bewogen eeuw (1250-1350)". Handelingen van de Koninklijke Zuid-Nederlandse Maatschappij voor Taal-, Letterkunde en Geschiedenis LXI, 129-145.
2008. "French medieval charters: a lexicographic case-study". In: M. MOOIJAERT & M. VANDER WAL eds., Yesterday’s Words: Contemporary, Current and Future Lexicography, Cambridge Scholars Press, 241-251.

Full List of Publications

Professional Activities

External examiner for the Université de Luxembourg (MA thesis, Les représentations de l’usage des langues au sein des familles bilingues vivant au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, Febr. 2012)
Member of the University of Sheffield Centre for Luxembourg Studies

Postgraduate Research

I am interested in supervising research in the following areas: French sociolinguistics, medieval French language and culture, language perception and language use in medieval Flanders and the Belgian media.

Teaching

Postgraduate

Undergraduate

FRE109/110 French Language and Commincation Studies
FRE201/202 French Language and Communication Studies
FRE395/396 Etudes de cas sociolinguistiques du français I & II