With this academic honour, the university recognises Kate Burridge for her outstanding academic achievements, her exceptional commitment to communicating linguistic insights to a wider public, and her long-standing and close ties to the Osnabrück University.
„Kate Burridge is one of the most distinguished linguists of our time. Her tireless efforts to make linguistics and linguistic issues relevant, understandable and accessible to a wide audience not only make her a dedicated communicator of humanities content, but also reflect her intense, ongoing commitment to enlightenment, tolerance, democracy and freedom“, said University President Prof. Dr Susanne Menzel-Riedel at a ceremony in the Zimeliensaal at the Osnabrück University. „I am delighted that you are today being awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Osnabrück, and that you will thus become an ambassador for the university and a valuable role model for our approximately 14,000 students.”
Kate Burridge is currently a professor and holder of the Chair in General Linguistics at Monash University, Melbourne, and a member of the Australian Academies of the Humanities and Social Sciences. For many years, she has been recognised as one of the world’s leading linguists. Her work in historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, language change and language contact has had a significant influence on research and has attracted attention far beyond the boundaries of her discipline.
Furthermore, Prof. Burridge is a well-known Australian media personality who uses humour to introduce linguistics and linguistic issues to a wide audience on various radio and television programmes, such as the popular ABC television programme ‘Can we help?’.
“Kate Burridge achieves something that few academics manage to do: she inspires a wide audience with sociolinguistic topics without compromising on academic rigour,” emphasised Prof. Dr Christina Noack, Dean of the Department of Linguistics and Literature. “She is therefore an outstanding ambassador for our discipline.”
Kate Burridge has enjoyed a long-standing academic partnership with the University of Osnabrück. For many years, she has maintained close ties with researchers at the Institute of English and American Studies. Lectures, joint research projects and intensive academic exchange have continually strengthened this relationship and inspired numerous students and early-career researchers.
“Our collaboration with Kate Burridge has enriched our research over many years and significantly strengthened international exchange,” said Prof. Dr Alexander Bergs, the initiator of the honour. “She combines scientific curiosity, intellectual openness and human warmth in an exceptional way.”
Prof. Dr Kate Burridge was delighted to receive the award: „I receive this award with great gratitude. It reflects decades of shared scholarship and friendship — something I deeply value and count among the real privileges of my career."
Further information for the media:
Prof. Dr. Alexander Bergs, Osnabrück
University, Institute of English / American Studies
