Ruth Kircher
Dr. Ruth Kircher is a sociolinguist with a specialisation in multilingualism and minority languages. She is particularly interested in phenomena relating to minority language endangerment, maintenance, and revitalisation as well as intergroup relations between majority and minority communities. Ruth`s work focuses on three interrelated strands: (1) language attitudes, language ideologies, and their influence on linguistic/social behaviour; (2) language policy and planning at the societal level; as well as (3) family language policy and intergenerational language transmission. Ruth`s research experience comprises a range of contexts in Europe and North America, and she has received funding from research councils, foundations, and governmental bodies in Canada, Great Britain, and the Netherlands.
In addition to publishing widely about her research, Ruth has authored several publications regarding research methods, and she co-edited the volume Research Methods in Language Attitudes (Cambridge University Press, 2022). Knowledge translation and the dissemination of research results to non-academic audiences also constitute an important part of Ruth’s work. This is exemplified by her work in Fryslân, where – based on the findings from her project New Speakers of West Frisian: Promoting Language Learning and Use to Foster Revitalisation – she developed materials to improve intergroup relations between traditional and new speakers of West Frisian (e.g., here) and co-designed a campaign (e.g., here) to promote minority language use.
At the ECMI, Ruth works as Senior Researcher in the research cluster “Minority Issues in the Denmark-Germany Border Region”. Her current projects focus on issues relating to two main research strands: Minority Languages in the Border Region and Intergroup Relations in the Border Region. Before joining the ECMI, she was an Eakin Fellow at McGill University in Montreal as well as working at the University of Birmingham, Liverpool Hope University, and the Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning / Fryske Akademy. Ruth holds degrees from the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg (MA), the University of Durham (MA), and Queen Mary University of London (PhD).
Ruth is an affiliated Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Concordia University. She is also an affiliated member of the Canadian Centre for Studies and Research on Bilingualism and Language Planning (CCERBAL) – part of the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) at the University of Ottawa.
Call for participation: Data collection is currently ongoing for Ruth’s project The Intergenerational Transmission of North Frisian: Promoting Multilingual Child-Rearing and Supporting (Future) Parents. More information is provided on the project page. If you are a Frisian speaker living in Nordfriesland, and you are raising a child that does not yet go to school – please consider completing this survey: bit.ly/UmfrageElternNordfriesland
RESEARCH REPORT:
- Kircher, R., & Vellinga, M. (2023). New speakers of West Frisian: Promoting language learning and use to foster revitalisation. Ljouwert / Leeuwarden: Fryske Akademy. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8054010 (open access)
BOOK CHAPTER:
- Kircher, R. (2024). Yiddish. In S. Fox (Ed.), Language in Britain and Ireland (pp. 413-424). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108769617.026
JOURNAL ARTICLES:
- Byers-Heinlein, K., Kircher, R., & Lew-Williams, C. (2025, in press). A systems framework of bilingual language acquisition: How development, experience, and contexts interact to shape outcomes. Annual review of Developmental Psychology. Non-paywalled preprint: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/9amg5_v3
- Kircher, R., Kutlu, E., & Vellinga, M. (2025). Evaluative reactions to minority languages and their varieties: Evidence from new speakers of West Frisian. Language in Society, 54(2): 237-263. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404523000805 (open access)
- Kircher, R. (2024). Linguistic discrimination of heritage language speaking children: Why does it happen and how can parents tackle it? Babylonia – Special Issue: Answering Parents’ Questions About Child Language, 3: 44-45. doi.org/10.55393/babylonia.v3i.431 (open access)
- Quirk, E., Brouillard, M., Ahooja, A., Ballinger, S., Polka, L., Byers-Heinlein, K., & Kircher, R. (2024). A corpus-assisted discourse study of parental concerns regarding multilingual child-rearing. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 0 (0): 1-19.https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2024.2415384 (non-paywalled preprint: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/udm6v)
- Ahooja, A., Brouillard, M., Quirk, E., Ballinger, S., Polka, L., Byers-Heinlein, K., & Kircher, R. (2024). Family language policy among Québec-based parents raising multilingual
infants and toddlers: A study of resources as a form of language management. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development,45 (7): 2445-2464.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2050918 (non-paywalled preprint: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/sa7h5)
- Quirk, E., Brouillard, M., Ahooja, A., Ballinger, S., Polka, L., Byers-Heinlein, K., & Kircher, R. (2024). Quebec-based parents’ concerns regarding their children’s multilingual development. International Journal of Multilingualism, 21(3): 1476-1493. https://doi.org/10.1080/14790718.2023.2184475 (non-paywalled preprint: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/583ge)
- Kircher, R., Kutlu, E., & Vellinga, M. (2023). Promoting minority language use to foster revitalisation: Insights from new speakers of West Frisian. Applied Linguistics, 45(3): 514-532. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amad045 (open access)
- Kircher, R. & Kutlu, E. (2023). Multilingual realities, monolingual ideologies: Social media representations of Spanish as a heritage language in the United States. Applied Linguistics, 44(6): 1077-1099. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amac076 (non-paywalled preprint: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/y54ru)
- Bayat, Z., Kircher, R., & Van de Velde, H. (2023). Minority language rights to education in international, regional, and domestic regulations and practices: The case of Frisians in the Netherlands. Current Issues in Language Planning, 24(8): 81-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2022.2037291 (open access)
LATEST PREPRINTS:
- Kircher, R., Brouillard, M., Ahooja, A., Quirk, E., Ballinger, S., Polka, L., & Byers-Heinlein, K. (under review). The attitudes at the heart of multilingual family language policies.
Non-paywalled preprint: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/er7d
- Litty, S. M., Kircher, R., & Terhart, L. (under review). Minderheitensprache, heritage language oder Familiensprache? Überlegungen zur Sprachbegrifflichkeit am Beispiel des Nordfriesischen. Sprachpolitik & Sprachen-politik. Non-paywalled preprint: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/jtre3_v1
For the complete list of publications, see here
SINCE JOINING THE ECMI
PLENARY TALKS:
- 8th May 2025: Fourth International Symposium on Language Attitudes towards Spanish, Portuguese and Related Languages; Olomouc, Czechia
Title of talk: “Parental attitudes towards childhood multilingualism: New insights from families raising children with Spanish and English in the United States”
- 17th October 2024: International Symposium on Language Ideologies and Attitudes (IDEOLING); Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Title of talk: “The role of language attitudes in minority language revitalisation: Insights from traditional speakers, new speakers, and non-speakers of Frisian”
INVITED TALKS:
- 30th September 2025: Sorbisches Institut; Cottbus, Germany
Title of talk: “Minderheitensprachen revitalisieren: Neue Forschung und neue Ideen für neue Sprecher:innen”
- 11th March 2025: Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw, Poland
Title of talk: “Language attitudes: What they are, why they matter, and how knowledge about them can be leveraged to promote social justice”
- 14th November 2024: BiUNED Conference on Bilingualism, Bilingual Education, and Social Conflict; Madrid, Spain
Title of talk: “Insights from North Frisian” – as part of a roundtable titled Multilingualism and Minority Languages in Europe: A Story of Language Conflict?
- 11th September 2024: Ferring Stiftung; Alkersum, Germany
Title of talk: “Friesisch lernen und Friesisch sprechen: Zwei verschiedene Paar Schuhe?”
- 31st July 2024: Nordfriisk Instituut – 32. Nordfriesisches Sommerinstitut; Bredstedt, Germany
Title of talk: “Friesisch lernen – wofür denn? Von Motivation, Gemeinschaft und Gelegenheit”
- 31st May 2024: Interfriesischer Kongress; List, Germany
Title of talk: “Und die Friesen? Entwicklungen im sogenannten deutsch-dänischen Minderheitenmodell hinsichtlich der Minderheiten ohne Mutterstaat” – with Martin Klatt (presenter)
- 21st March 2024: Europa-Universität Flensburg – Kolloquium Kleine und Regionale Sprachen (KURS); Flensburg, Germany
Title of talk: “Alles eine Frage der Zugehörigkeit? Spracherwerb und Sprachgebrauch von neuen Sprecher:innen des Westfriesischen”
- 4th October 2023: Visibilizing Normative Regional Historical Multilingualism (ViNoRHM) workshop; Flensburg, Germany
Title of talk: “From Canada to Nordfriesland: A cross-Atlantic perspective on intergenerational minority language transmission”
- 26th May 2023: Montreal Bilingualism Initiative, McGill University; Montreal, Canada
Title of talk: “The attitudes and ideologies that motivate multilingual parenting in Quebec”
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS:
- 10th June 2025: International Symposium on Bilingualism; Donostia - San Sebastián, Spain
Title of talk: “Bilingualism and minority language dynamics: Monitoring shifts in attitudes, language use, and proficiency in the Frisian-Dutch context” – with Nika Stefan (presenter), Suzanne Dekker (presenter), Femke van Seijen, & Jelske Dijkstra
- 9th June 2025: International Symposium on Bilingualism; Donostia - San Sebastián, Spain
Title of talk: “Parents’ attitudes towards childhood multilingualism: New insights from North America and Nordfriesland” – with Pavlína Heinzová, Charlotte Moore, Katharina Jürgensen, Casey Lew-Williams, & Krista Byers-Heinlein
- 2nd June 2025: Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics Conference; Toronto, Canada
Title of talk: “Calls for social justice through plurilingualism: Education-related family language policies among Quebec-based parents raising multilingual infants and toddlers” – with Susan Ballinger (presenter), Erin Quirk, Andréanne Langevin, Soria Blumer, Alexa Ahooja, Melanie Brouillard, Linda Polka, & Krista Byers-Heinlein
- 9th May 2025: Colloque “Approches novatrices en recherche sur le bilinguisme : perspectives multidisciplinaires hors des sentiers battus" (92e congrès de l'ACFAS); Montreal, Canada
Title of talk: “ Les défis et opportunités uniques du trilinguisme chez l’enfant : une étude à méthodes mixtes à Montréal” – with Erin Quirk (presenter), Miranda Gómez Díaz, & Krista Byers-Heinlein
- 8th May 2025: Canadian Centre for Studies and Research on Bilingualism and Language Planning (CCERBAL) conference; Ottawa, Canada
Title of talk: “Parental concerns and desires related to plurilingual support for their children before and after school entry” – with Andréanne Langevin (presenter), Erin Quirk, Alexa Ahooja, Susan Ballinger, Melanie Brouillard, Linda Polka, & Krista Byers-Heinlein
- 1st October 2024: Die Soziolinguistik des Nordfriesischen: Spracheinstellungen, -wahrnehmungen und -gebrauch; Flensburg, Germany
Title of talk: “Traditionelle Sprecher:innen und Nicht-Sprecher:innen des Nordfriesischen – Spracheinstellungen im Vergleich”
- 5th September 2024: Sprach(en)politik in Deutschland: Perspektiven auf Sprachminderheiten- und Mehrsprachigkeitskonstellationen; Mannheim, Germany
Title of talk: “Sprachpolitik und Spracheinstellungen in Nordfriesland” – with Lena Terhart & Samantha M. Litty
- 5th September 2024: Sprach(en)politik in Deutschland: Perspektiven auf Sprachminderheiten- und Mehrsprachigkeitskonstellationen; Mannheim, Germany
Title of talk: “Nordfriesisch an den Schulen Nordfrieslands: Schein oder Sein?” – with Lena Terhart (presenter) & Samantha M. Litty
- 4th September 2024: Sprach(en)politik in Deutschland: Perspektiven auf Sprachminderheiten- und Mehrsprachigkeitskonstellationen; Mannheim, Germany
Title of talk: “Nordfriesisch: Herkunftssprache, regionale Sprache oder autochthone Minderheitensprache?”– with Samantha M. Litty (presenter) & Lena Terhart
- 10th July 2024: Research Methodologies and Regional or Minority Language Research Conference; Aberystwyth, Wales
Title of talk: “Examining Frisian language attitudes: Harnessing citizen panels for sociolinguistic research” – with Femke van Seijen (presenter), Suzanne Dekker, Jelske Dijkstra & Nika Stefan
- 30th June 2024: Multidisciplinary Approaches in Language Policy and Planning; Ottawa, Canada
Title of talk: “New speakers’ motivations for minority language learning: Implications for language policy and planning” – with Mirjam Vellinga
- 28th June 2024: Multidisciplinary Approaches in Language Policy and Planning; Ottawa, Canada
Title of talk: “What about when they go to school? Education-related family language policies among Quebec-based parents raising young multilinguals” – with Erin Quirk (presenter), Andréanne Langevin, Soria Blumer, Alexa Ahooja, Susan Ballinger, Melanie Brouillard, Linda Polka, & Krista Byers-Heinlein
- 13th June 2024: Canadian Association for Applied Linguistics Conference; Montreal, Canada
Title of talk: “School-entry concerns and education-related resources desired among multilingual Quebec families” – with Erin Quirk (presenter), Andréanne Langevin, Soria Blumer, Alexa Ahooja, Susan Ballinger, Melanie Brouillard, Linda Polka, & Krista Byers-Heinlein
- 22nd May 2024: Haugen Revisited: Theoretical and Empirical Realities of Heritage Communities; Uppsala, Sweden
Title of talk: “The case of North Frisian: Endangered, minority, regional, or heritage language?” – with Samantha M. Litty (presenter) & Lena Terhart
- 29th June 2023: International Symposium on Bilingualism; Sydney, Australia
Title of talk: “New speakers and the safeguarding of linguistic diversity” – with Ethan Kutlu & Mirjam Vellinga (online)
- 29th June 2023: International Symposium on Bilingualism; Sydney, Australia
Title of talk: “What concerns parents about raising a multilingual child in a multilingual society” – with Erin Quirk (presenter), Alexa Ahooja, Susan Ballinger, Melanie Brouillard, Linda Polka, & Krista Byers-Heinlein (online)
- 21st June 2023: International Conference on Minority Languages; Carmarthen, Wales
Title of talk: “Promoting minority language use to foster revitalisation: Insights from new speakers of West Frisian” – with Ethan Kutlu & Mirjam Vellinga (online)
- 11th May 2023: Colloque “Perspective multidisciplinaire sur le bilinguisme: aspects socioculturels et développementaux”(90e congrès de l'ACFAS); Montreal, Canada
Title of talk: “Quels sont les déterminants de l'utilisation de la langue des parents avec leurs tout-petits en contexte multilingue?" – with Erin Quirk (presenter), Alexa Ahooja, Melanie Brouillard, Nicola Phillips, Linda Polka, Susan Ballinger, & Krista Byers-Heinlein
- 6th May 2023: Canadian Centre for Studies and Research on Bilingualism and Language Planning (CCERBAL) conference; Ottawa, Canada
Title of talk: “Parental concerns regarding multilingual child-rearing” – with Erin Quirk (presenter), Alexa Ahooja, Melanie Brouillard, Linda Polka, Susan Ballinger, & Krista Byers-Heinlein
- 4th May 2023: Canadian Centre for Studies and Research on Bilingualism and Language Planning (CCERBAL) conference; Ottawa, Canada
Title of talk: “The beliefs that motivate multilingual parenting in Quebec” – with Erin Quirk, Melanie Brouillard, Alexa Ahooja, Susan Ballinger, Linda Polka, & Krista Byers-Heinlein
POSTER PRESENTATIONS:
- 10th June 2025: International Symposium on Bilingualism; Donostia - San Sebastián, Spain
Title of poster: “Is three languages too many? A mixed-methods study of concerns among parents raising young trilinguals” – with Erin Quirk (presenter), Miranda Gómez Díaz, & Krista Byers-Heinlein
- 9th November 2024: Boston University Conference on Language Development; Boston, U.S.A.
Title of poster: “The effect of double and triple cognates on trilingual children's lexical development” – with Erin Quirk (presenter), Miranda Gómez Díaz, & Krista Byers-Heinlein
OTHER TALKS AND EVENTS:
- 16th February 2025: Biike Empfang; Leck, Germany
Title of talk: “Kulturgut Friesisch: Herausforderungen” – with Nils Langer, Henk Wolf, & Tjallien Kalsbeek
- 23rd January 2025: Praxismesse Snack – Tale – Sprekke für die pädagogischen Fachkräfte der Kitas in Nordfriesland; Hattstedt, Germany
Title of talk: “Frühe Mehrsprachigkeit: Mythen, ‘Mehrwert’ und Möglichkeiten”
- 24th February 2024: Workshop zum Thema Regional- und Minderheitensprachen für Kreis- und Kommunalpolitiker; Husum, Germany
Discussion: “Mehrsprachigkeit und Minderheitensprachen” – with Christoph Schmidt
- 28th October 2023: Friesische Herbsthochschule; Flensburg, Germany
Title of talk: “Nordfriesisch-Forschung am ECMI”
GUEST LECTURES/ TEACHING:
- 25th March 2025: Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute, University of Ottawa; Ottawa, Canada (online)
Title of lecture: „The attitudes at the heart of multilingual family language policies“
- 30th August 2024: ECMI Summer School – The Future of Minority Language Rights; Bratislava, Slovakia
Title of lecture: “Multilingual family language policies and the intergenerational transmission of minority languages”
- 30th August 2024: ECMI Summer School – The Future of Minority Language Rights; Bratislava, Slovakia
Title of lecture: “Adult new speakers of minority languages: Bridging the gap between language learning and language use” – with Mirjam Vellinga
30th August 2024: ECMI Summer School – The Future of Minority Language Rights; Bratislava, Slovakia
Title of lecture/ activity session: : “The ins and outs of minority language (re-)vitalisation” – with Mirjam Vellinga & James Hawkey25th August 2024: ECMI Summer School – The Future of Minority Language Rights; Bratislava, Slovakia
Title of lecture: “Introduction to minority languages”- 17th April 2023: Section d’anglais, Université de Lausanne; Lausanne, Switzerland (online)
Title of lecture: “Attitudes towards Multicultural London English”
