Honour for achievement

A Cardiff academic has been recognised for his major contribution to the field of sociolinguistics by the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

Professor Nik Coupland of the School of English, Communication and Philosophy is considered to be one of the most influential shapers of sociolinguistics in the world.

His major contributions include work on dialect variations, Welsh language and culture, and the sociolinguistics of ageing. He co-founded theJournal of Sociolinguistics (Blackwell) in 1997 and currently co-edits the Oxford University Press book series Oxford Studies in Sociolinguistics.

In recognition of his achievements, Professor Coupland - who also holds a post at the University of Technology Sydney - has been elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities, one of the highest honours available for achievement in the humanities in Australia.

The Australian Academy of the Humanities was established in 1969 to advance knowledge of, and the pursuit of excellence in, the humanities for the benefit of the nation. The Fellowship of the Academy comprises more than 550 distinguished individuals elected by their peers in recognition of the excellence and impact of their scholarship in fields including archaeology, art, Asian and European studies, classical and modern literature, cultural and communication studies, languages and linguistics, philosophy, musicology, history and religion