Visiting scholar from Poland seeks interviews for study of Southern dialects

Now through March, Fulbright scholar Leszek Szymański from the University of Zielona Góra in Poland will be conducting research at the University of Georgia concerning dialectal grammar and user preferences in southern dialectal English.

"I will investigate double multiple modals, such as you might could help me, or This should oughta work out," he said. "The research outcomes will contribute to enhancing our knowledge about double modals, a characteristic feature of American English; they can also be used for teaching purposes, such as teacher and translator training. This may result in the revisions of future editions of English-language grammar coursebooks at various levels of education, not to mention the preservation of the language of the South."

Leszek Szymański

​Research activities will include interviews with native speakers of Southern American English. The interviews will be anonymous, so that the identities of participants will not be revealed.

​Essential characteristics of participants to include:

- native speakers of Southern American English;

- aware of using double (multiple) modals;

- currently residing in the South, preferably in rural areas;

- raised in the South;

- aged 21 or older.

Szymański can be contacted via Facebook messenger or email: l.szymanski@in.uz.zgora.pl or leszek.szymanski@uga.edu.