I was born and raised in Pennsylvania. In fact, my family has been there since the late seventeenth century and has only moved about 80 miles from where they set anchor on the Delaware River in 1683. Travel outside of southeastern Pennsylvania has become a large part of my life. I enjoy getting to know new places and reconnecting with old places. Sometimes, though, I am content with sticking my hands in the dirt at home and gardening.
I would describe my work as residing largely within American Studies. I'm a sociolinguist and linguistic anthropologist (with a strong background in folklore studies) interested primarily in the interaction of language and identity. I am especially interested in this interaction when languages and identities are contested, i.e. in multilingual settings. My interest in language began early, as I listened in on my grandmother and great aunt visit at the kitchen table. They both spoke Pennsylvania Dutch and it fascinated me... and, well, continues to fascinate me. I am most content academically doing fieldwork and ethnography. In grad school, I was extremely fortunate to work with great mentors in courses on language contact with Jacqueline Toribio and Barbara Bullock, courses on sociolinguistics with John Lipski, and courses on historical linguistics with Richard Page and Phil Baldi.
I'm a Quaker and delight in an unprogrammed Meeting for Worship. We are pacifists, social justice activists, and avoid hierarchical structures.
Since graduate school, I've worked as a fiber artist in various methods, especially knitting, embroidery, bobbin lace, and fiber spinning. I am happiest as a curious person and love learning new techniques, especially if they are rooted in cultural traditions. Folk art, in all its diverse media, gives me endless inspiration.
Please do check around my site and feel free to contact me with any questions.
I would describe my work as residing largely within American Studies. I'm a sociolinguist and linguistic anthropologist (with a strong background in folklore studies) interested primarily in the interaction of language and identity. I am especially interested in this interaction when languages and identities are contested, i.e. in multilingual settings. My interest in language began early, as I listened in on my grandmother and great aunt visit at the kitchen table. They both spoke Pennsylvania Dutch and it fascinated me... and, well, continues to fascinate me. I am most content academically doing fieldwork and ethnography. In grad school, I was extremely fortunate to work with great mentors in courses on language contact with Jacqueline Toribio and Barbara Bullock, courses on sociolinguistics with John Lipski, and courses on historical linguistics with Richard Page and Phil Baldi.
I'm a Quaker and delight in an unprogrammed Meeting for Worship. We are pacifists, social justice activists, and avoid hierarchical structures.
Since graduate school, I've worked as a fiber artist in various methods, especially knitting, embroidery, bobbin lace, and fiber spinning. I am happiest as a curious person and love learning new techniques, especially if they are rooted in cultural traditions. Folk art, in all its diverse media, gives me endless inspiration.
Please do check around my site and feel free to contact me with any questions.