Dr. Liesbeth Zack

Biography

Liesbeth Zack is an Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Culture at the University of Amsterdam. With a background in Arabic dialects and linguistics, she specializes in the historical sources of Egyptian Arabic dialects and sociolinguistics. Her work involves the analysis of dialect literature and the influence of social context on language change. She is part of the research team on the Arabic Excavation Diaries Project at Harvard University, focusing on making excavational diaries accessible for scholars in various fields. She has published notable works on Middle Arabic and has coordinated a research group on Historical Sociolinguistics. Zack has taught various levels of Arabic courses, including courses on Egyptian Arabic and Media Arabic, and served as the programme director for numerous Bachelor programs in Language, Culture, and Area Studies. Her PhD thesis focused on the Egyptian Arabic of the seventeenth century and was supervised by M.A. Woidich. Zack's academic contributions span a range of publications, which enhance the understanding of language contact and change in sociolinguistics through a historical and dialectological lens.

Research Interests

Experience