I am a linguist based in Manchester (UK) involved primarily in sociolinguistic variation (especially at the level of sound), dialects, and second language acquisition. In 2010 I was awarded a PhD in Linguistics from the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures at The University of Manchester. My thesis is a sociophonetic study into variation in L2 phonological acquisition entitled ‘Sociolinguistic variation in a second language: the influence of local accent on the pronunciation of non-native English speakers living in Manchester’. More details here. I am currently a lecturer in the Department of Languages at Manchester Metropolitan University, where I am jointly responsible for the new MA in Applied Linguistics, and recently a temporary lecturer in Sociolinguistics at The University of Manchester.

I have recently been awarded a ‘Research Accelerator Grant’ from MMU for a project entitled ‘Understanding Multicultural Manchester English: breaking down barriers for young people in Manchester.’ The title is of course a reference to the extensive work carried out by Jenny Cheshire, Paul Kerswill, Sue Fox, Arfaan Khan and Eivind Torgersen on Multicultural London English. The project will look at the emerging variety of English used by adolescents in Manchester and investigate the implications of its role in the construction of identity(ies) amongst young people in the city.

I undertake (and supervise) research in sociolinguistics, with a special focus on the following areas:

• Language variation and change (particularly phonetic and phonological variation)
• Dialect acquisition
• Sociolinguistic variation in a second language
• Language and identity
• The acquisition of linguistic variation
• Usage based models of phonetics and phonology
• Sociolinguistics and language teaching