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Laura Demsey

Teaching Associate Professor of French

ldemsey@unc.edu | Dey 225

Education

  • Ph.D., French Linguistics, Indiana University, 2022 (Expected)
  • M.A., French Linguistics, Indiana University, 2015
  • B.A., French and Linguistics, Binghamton University – State University of New York, 2010

Bio

Laura Demsey’s research resides in the fields of language contact and first and second language acquisition.  She studies varieties of French in contact with English, particularly in the New England region of the United States and other areas of North America.  In addition, she is interested in the production of second-language learners of French and their similarity to that of heritage speakers of French.

She is the current course coordinator of FREN 101 and 102, the first two semesters of the French language sequence at UNC-Chapel Hill.  She places a high value on introductory-level courses, since they are the foundation of all language learners’ development.  She is committed to giving all students a rich learning experience, which keeps affective filters low, and which builds all five skills: speaking, listening, reading, writing, and cultural competence in global Francophone cultures.

Publications

  • “Qui perd sa langue perd sa foi: English Influence in the Functional Categories of New England French.” 2019. In Chernouski, Libby and David O’Neil (eds.), Proceedings of the Third Purdue Linguistics, Literature, & Second Language Studies Conference. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 138–167.
  • “Vive la langue française: Making French Connections in New England.” 2019. Le FORUM Journal 40, no. 4: 24–26.

Awards/Honors

  • President’s Prize, 47th Conference of the Linguistic Association of Canada and the United States (for best presentation), 2021
  • University Graduate School Grant-in-Aid of Doctoral Research, Indiana University, 2018 & 2019
  • Albert Valdman Research and Travel Award, Indiana University, 2017 & 2018
  • Inaugural Prix France Martineau, Les français d’ici Conference, Montreal, QC (for best student presentation), 2018
  • Grace P. Young Graduate Award, Indiana University, 2018
  • French Associate Instructor Teaching Award, Indiana University, 2018
  • Inaugural Pi Delta Phi President’s Scholarship for Graduate Students, 2018
  • Graduate and Professional Student Government Travel Award, Indiana University, 2016

Courses Taught

  • FREN 101: Elementary French I
  • FREN 102: Elementary French II