My Research focuses on bi- and multi-lingualism, both from a mentalist/representational perspective as well as from a sociolinguistic and comparative perspective.

Within a representational perspective, I have worked on Bilingual First Language Acquisition, particularly in relation to syntactic and phonological transfer effects in simultaneous bilinguals, but also on the acquisition and organisation of lexical properties, the nature of paradigms and of the mechanisms underlying lexical organisation (including the mapping of cross-modular information in the lexicon) and on lexical and phonological development in typically developing children and in children with SLI.

I also work on the more social and comparative aspects of bilingual development, particularly on regional and minority languages (language policy and maintenance), on issues of language diversity (the measurement of linguistic attitudes), and the diglossic/bilingual communities of Italy, but also on measuring phonetic distance in linguistic continua, and on the measurement and application of intelligibility rates as a criterion of demarcation between 'regional languages' and 'regional dialects'.

I am currently director of the International Research Network on Contested Languages and head of the Language Attitudes Research Team.

Position: Professor of Linguistics (Bilingualism)

Email: [email protected]

Phone: ++44 (0)1248 382078

Location: Room 205b, 37-41 College Road

Selected presentations and invited talks

• (2022) Tamburelli, M. “Attitudes reversed: how Ausbau-centric approaches hinder the maintenance of linguistic diversity”. Keynote talk at LABiC 2022: International conference on bilingualism with local languages, Language Attitudes and Bi(dia)lectal Competence, University of Venice, Italy.
• (2022) Tamburelli, M. “Language Contestation as a Route to Endangerment”. Talk invited by the Laz Institute and delivered at the Endangered Languages Colloquium, Istanbul Bilgi University, Turkey.
• (2021) Tamburelli, M. “Myth busters: Online platforms and emerging ideological shift among Lombard speakers.” Plenary talk at the conference New Contexts for the Use of Minoritized Languages, University of Zadar, Croatia.
• (2020) Tamburelli, M. “Regional Language Maintenance and the Importance of Digital Domains.” Invited talk at the conference Minority Languages in the Digital Age, The Alfried Krupp Institute for Advanced Study, University of Greifswald, Germany.
• (2019) Tamburelli, M. “Bilingual advantage and home language use: the case of minority languages” Invited talk at the 2019 Multilingual Learning Conference, European Council of International Schools (ECIS), London, UK.
• (2019) Tamburelli, M. “Bilingualism and local communities.” Invited talk at CILVE2 (Second International Conference on the Venetan Language), Vicenza, Italy.
• (2018) Tamburelli, M. and Tosco, M. “Contested Languages FAQs”. Oral presentation at the 3^rd International Conference on Contested Languages in the Old World (CLOW-3), University of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• Tamburelli, M. (2017) “Finding languages: from an old problem to a modern challenge.” Plenary address at UPCEL Language in Society, 20-22 September 2017, University of Madrid, Spain.
• Tamburelli, M. (2017) ‘The hidden multilingualism of Italy: issues and challenges’ Invited talk at ‘Endangered and Minority Languages of Italy’, Cambridge Group for Endangered Languages and Cultures (CELC), University of Cambridge, UK (January 2017).
• Tamburelli, M. (2017) “Issues in Romance classification: the case of Gallo-Italic” Invited talk at the Cambridge Romance Linguistics Seminars, University of Cambridge, UK (January 2017).

PhD supervision

• Conor Glackin: Intelligibility and communication in stressful social contexts. 2017-2023.
• Judit Vari: Monitoring language vitality in autochthonous diglossic communities. 2017-2021.
• Mara Leonardi: Trilingualism and Diglossia among the Germanic-speaking group in South Tyrol (Italy). 2012-2016.
• Abigail Ruth Price: “Is ‘reversed diglossia’ coming to Wales? Investigating the linguistic habits of adolescents in Wales and beyond.” Fully funded studentship in bilingualism, Bangor University Anniversary Scholarship. 2013-2019.
• Lissander Brasca: Classification of Romance linguistic varieties. 2013-2023 (P/T).
• Athanasia Papastergiou: the role of educational settings in bilingual acquisition. ESRC funded PhD. 2014-2016 (co-supervisor).

Teaching at Bangor

I teach courses on introductory linguistics, phonology, and bilingualism (from a social as well as a psycholinguistic perspective). For details, please consult the current timetable or send me a message.

• QXL1110 - Introduction to Language
• QXL2201 - Sounds and Sound Systems
• QXL33/4470 - Language Policy & Planning
• QXL 1115 Intro to Phonetics and Phonology
• QXL 4432 Research Methods
• QXL33/4436 – Phonology in Bilingual Acquisition