dr. R.M. (Remco) Knooihuizen
Research focus
My research focuses on language variation and change, often in combination with language or dialect contact, and in situations involving a majority and a minority variety. I am interested in how speakers navigate potentially conflicting grammatical patterns with different social meanings in their two varieties. I have worked predominantly on small languages in the Netherlands (Frisian and Low Saxon) and insular Scandinavia (Faroese and Shetland Norn), looking at both contemporary and historical variation.
My work includes both phonetic and phonological variation as well as variation in morphology and syntax. To complement the analysis of production data, I have more recently introduced experimental research methods from psycholinguistics into this research line, which allows me to link production to the processing of language variation. The use of self-paced reading tasks has also led me to consider the role of literacy in variation in small language varieties.
A secondary research line focuses on the sociophonetics of LGBTQ+ speakers in the Netherlands, and in particular on the question of whether the social indexicality of language variation in the Dutch of these speakers is independent from their English.
I actively seek to establish research collaboration, not in the least with students at both bachelor and master level.
Ph.D. supervision
I have ius promovendi.
Ongoing Ph.D. projects
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Stijn Zelhorst, The role of exposure to fictional narratives in adopting gender inclusive language (2025–), with M. Lukač & F. Pianzola
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Runyu Wu, Segmental intelligibility of Glasgow and Dutch accents to Chinese English learners (2025–), with C. Gooskens† & A. Schüppert
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Hedwig Sekeres, A social dialectological analysis of sound changes in Gronings (2022–), with M. Wieling
Completed Ph.D. projects
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Raoul Buurke, Frisian and Low Saxon in flux (2020–2024), with M. Wieling & W. Heeringa
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Jelle Brouwer, Learning for life: Investigating the potential of language learning as a non-pharmacological intervention in older adults with (past) depression (2019–2023), with M. Keijzer
Prospective Ph.D. students
I welcome enquiries from prospective Ph.D. students with projects (only) that clearly fit and further develop the research focus described above. Enquiries should include a project description including publication and funding plan.