Andel Starcevic

Andel Starcevic

Research and Teaching Assistant in the Department of English, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb

PhD candidate in Linguistics, University of Zagreb

MA in English language and literature and Italian language and literature, University of Zagreb

After graduating from the Departments of English and Italian studies and working as a Business English teacher, I became a research and teaching assistant in the Department of English, University of Zagreb. My main research interests are morphosyntax and sociolinguistics, especially bi- and multilingualism, languages in contact/contrast and language planning. So far I have done research into the ways in which English has influenced Croatian grammar over the past decades, problematic areas in grammar for Croatian learners of English, and the multifaceted phenomenon of linguistic purism in Croatia. I have also taught a course in English syntax for undergraduate students, which has provided me with a unique opportunity to identify advanced learners' problems, and has inspired me to develop more meaningful and thought-provoking ways of presenting grammar issues.

My PhD research focuses on the Croatian community in Edmonton. In particular, I examine the sociolinguistic factors behind the acquisition of English and Croatian, the interaction between the two languages in everyday use, and the language shift and the role of language in constructions of (national) identity. As the Croatian Research Fellow at the Wirth Institute, I also act as a liaison between the local Croatian community and the Institute. I have recently started teaching a Croatian language course for UofA students as a way to further foster linguistic and cultural exchange.

Being granted this Fellowship and the chance to spend a year in a new, North American academic setting has made it possible for me to meet people from all over the world and to expose myself to new issues and perspectives from various fields. My work is benefiting greatly from the extensive resources and organization of the University of Alberta libraries, and the welcoming atmosphere at the Institute and other departments. I am hopeful that my contact with the other fellows at the Wirth Institute will provide the basis for a career-long interdisciplinary network of colleagues in Central Europe.

Contact

E-mail: starcevi@ualberta.ca; astarcev@ffzg.hr
Telephone: +1 780 492 6390
Address:
University of Alberta
Wirth institute for Austrian and Central European Studies
Suite 300 F
Arts & Convocation Hall
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada T6G 2E6

Dept of English, University of Zagreb: http://www.ffzg.unizg.hr/anglist/