Morana Lukač, PhD
Hi there! My name is [ˈmoranaˈɫukatʃ]. I am Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen, specializing in sociolinguistics. My research focuses on how language reflects social identities and inequalities, particularly in relation to social class, gender, and mental health. I also study language ideologies, including "grassroots prescriptivism," a concept I co-introduced to describe how lay speakers promote standard language norms. Additionally, my work examines non-binary pronouns in English and Dutch, and the language of mental health.
Feel free to browse through this website or reach out.
Bio
Before joining Groningen, between 2020 and 2023 I was a research and teaching fellow in Rostock and Greifswarld (Germany). From 2012 to 2020, I was a member of the Leiden University Centre for Linguistics, first as a doctoral researcher and later as a lecturer. I hold a PhD from Leiden University which I obtained in 2018.
Projects
Grassroots prescriptivism
My doctoral thesis Grassroots prescriptivism was a sociolinguistic study of grassroots prescriptivism, bottom-up efforts of lay people to promote the standard language ideology. I used corpus-based methods as well as attitudinal surveys to investigate metalinguistic commentary expressed on traditional (letters to newspaper editors and radio phone-ins) and new media platforms (forum and blog discussions). My study was part of a larger research endeavour, namely, a sociolinguistic project at Leiden University entitled Bridging the Unbridgeable: Linguists, Prescriptivists and the General Public funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) that sought to close the gap between the three main players in the field of prescriptivism: the linguists themselves, the prescriptivists (as writers of usage guides) and those who depend upon such manuals. The project was led by Professor Ingrid Tieken-Boon van Ostade.
Between 2012-2016 I regularly published posts on the project's blog.
Find out more
The Routledge Handbook of Linguistic Prescriptivism
I co-edited the Routledge Handbook of Linguistic Prescriptivism (2023) with Joan Beal and Robin Straaijer. This volume maps the current state of prescriptivism, highlighting its two-decade transformation into a serious field of linguistic study. The handbook offers broad coverage of theoretical and methodological approaches, institutional contexts, and the geographical and historical scope of prescriptive efforts.
Tijdschrift voor Genderstudies
I am the Reviews Editor of the Tijdschrift voor Genderstudies (University Press Amsterdam), which aims to contribute to debates about gender and diversity in the Netherlands and Flanders. The journal is an interdisciplinary medium operating at the intersection of society, culture, the humanities, health and science.
Centre for Gender Studies
I am the Treasurer of the Centre for Gender Studies (CGS) at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Arts. The CGS promotes research and education on gender and its intersections with categories such as sexuality, class, race, religion, culture, ability, and age. As part of its mission, the CGS serves as a hub for gender specialists within and beyond the university, supporting efforts to make gender research more visible and impactful in addressing societal issues. The CGS also organizes a variety of gender-related events, including lectures, workshops, and symposia.
Language Law and Order is a podcast where I, alongside Ingrid Tieken-Boon van Ostade and Linda Pillière, explore the rules, norms, and cultural dynamics that shape how we speak and write, covering topics such as prescriptivism, grammar, and the societal impact of language. Through engaging monthly discussions with our guests (other linguists) we aim to uncover the connections between language and society.
Contact
Harmony Building (room number 1315.0185)
Oude Kijk in Het Jatstraat 26
9712 EK Groningen, Netherlands