Universität Bonn

Uni Bonn - LETS

Hanna Bruns, M.A.

Research assistant

Lecturer

Lecturer of trust

PhD student

Office hours

!!for course work and thesis projects only!!

During the winter semester 2024/25, my regular office hours take place
Tuesdays 12pm-1pm (Zoom or in person)
Please register for office hours via email and let me know whether you would prefer zoom or an in-person meeting.
Different times can be agreed upon via email.

Lecturer of trust office hours

Together with my colleagues Don Lowman and Irene Balles, I am the lecturer of trust of the Department of English, American and Celtic Studies.

As lecturer of trust, I am happy to support students confidentially, discreetly, and on equal terms. Aside from matters related to university, such as questioning or doubting your course of studies, I can support and advise you on private matters that interfere with or impede your studies. These are, for example, mental health or issues with time management.

I offer regular open office hours
Thursdays, 3 - 5pm.

[Exceptions to this office hour slot will be posted here.]

The last Lecturer of Trust office hour in December takes place on 19.12. The first one in January takes place on 09.01. - Happy holidays! 

You can just come by without an appointment! [My door will be open - if the door is closed, that means another student is already with me.]

If that time does not suit you, or you want to meet via Zoom, please send me an email and we can come to a flexible agreement!

Avatar Bruns

Hanna Bruns

Website

+49 228 73-6522

(she/her)

Room 2.059

Rabinstraße 8

53111 Bonn

© IAAK
Department of American, English and Celtic Studies
Chair for Linguistics of English and Translation Studies (LETS)
TRA4 - (Ent-)Demokratisierung und Machtstrukturen

Dissertation

"Socio-cultural impact on language change: Use of, and attitudes towards, gender-inclusive language in English and German." [working title]

My PhD project focuses on the development of gender-inclusive language in the context of recent democratisation processes in Germany, and Great Britain. For this purpose, I am considering four different parts that influence each other and stand in a direct connection with each other, according to my hypothesis: language use, language attitudes, language structures, and the socio-cultural contexts in which these languages are used. I investigate these connections by way of several methods: I use corpora to trace the development of generic masculine and gender-inclusive forms since the 1990s. Then, I use questionnaires to elicit language use norms, attitudes towards gender-inclusive language, as well as political attitudes in an apparent time study. My PhD project is part of a bigger project on Democratisation and Power Structures.

CV

Since 2021

Research assistant, Chair of Linguistics of English and Translation Studies, University of Bonn, Germany

Since 2020

PhD student, Anglistik/Amerikanistik: Sprachwissenschaft, University of Bonn, Germany
Working title: Address Forms in Varieties of English and German: Socio-cultural impact on language change

2016 - 2019

M.A. Applied Linguistics, University of Bonn, Germany 
Thesis: "It feels very niche, very unique” – A case study of the discursive creation of nonnormative transgender identity in YouTube vlogs
08/2015 - 12/2015
Exchange semester: English Linguistics, English and Foreign Languages University Hyderabad, India
2012 - 2016
B.A. English Studies and Art History, Dresden University of Technology, Germany

Teaching

Current

Seminar + Übung "Applied Linguistics: Discourse Analysis" (BA)

Previous

Seminar "(Critical) Translation Studies" (MA; Summer 2024)
Colloquium "English Linguistics" (BA; Summer 2024)
Übung "Methods in Applied Linguistics" (MA; Winter 2023/24)
Seminar "Issues in Language and Communication Studies: Sociolinguistic Approaches to Gender" (BA; Summer 2023)
Übung "Language Structures and Functions" (BA; Winter 2022/23)
Seminar "Issues in Language and Communication Studies: Language and Gender" (BA; Summer 2020)
Tutorial "Issues in Language and Communication Studies: Microlinguistic variation between British and American English" (BA; Summer 2019)
Tutorial "Introduction to Synchronic Linguistics", Dresden University of Technology (BA; Summer 2016)
Tutorial "Introduction to Diachronic Linguistics", Dresden University of Technology (BA; Winter 2014/15)
Tutorial "Introduction to Synchronic Linguistics", Dresden University of Technology (BA; Summer 2014)

Publications

Bruns, H., & Leiting, S. (to appear). Annoying or important? – Arguments for and against gender-fair language use across age and gender. Special Issue: The workings of discrimination: Gender-inclusive language between acceptance and opposition, F. Formato (Ed.), Journal of Language and Discrimination.

Bruns, H., & Leiting, S. (2024). Using gender-inclusive language in German? It’s a question of attitude… In: F. Pfalzgraf (Ed.), Public attitudes towards gender-inclusive language: A multinational perspective [Language and Social Life] (pp. 97-125). Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter Mouton.

Bruns, H. (2023). “That’s all it takes to be trans”: Counter-strategies to hetero- and transnormative discourse on YouTube. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 283, 53-76. LINK

Bruns, H., & Kranich, S. (2022). Terms of address: A contrastive investigation of ongoing changes in British, American and Indian English and in German. Journal of Contrastive Pragmatics, 3(1), 112-143. LINK 

Kranich, S., Bruns, H., & Hampel, E. (2021). Requests across varieties and cultures: Norms are changing (but not everywhere in the same way). Anglistik: International Journal of English Studies, 32(1), 91-114. LINK

Bruns, H. (2020). National Socialist metaphors in the discourse of the Alternative für Deutschland: Exploring a leaked WhatsApp chat. metaphorik.de, 30, 163-192. LINK

Kranich, S., Hampel, E., & Bruns, H. (2020). Changes in the modal domain in different varieties of English as potential effects of democratization. Language Sciences, 79, 1-15. LINK

Presentations

  1. "Being trans and non-binary on YouTube: Counter-discourse, expertness, and community engagement". Guestlecture presented for the Seminar “Queerlinguistik: Sprache, Geschlecht und Sexualität” (Invitation by: Dr. Miriam Lind), European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, 29 November 2024.
  2. "Repräsentiert fühlen und [...] ein gutes Gefühl bereiten: Geschlechterinklusive Sprache in Kultur und Kognition". Talk presented at the ZONTA Club Bonn-Rheinaue, Germany, 5 November 2024.
  3. "Die englische Sprache kennt keine Genderei? Gender-inklusive Sprache im Englischen und Deutschen". Talk presented at the Diversity Days, University of Bonn, Germany, 22 May 2024.
  4. "Conceptualisations and performance of non-normative transgender identities: YouTube videos as counter-discourse". Guestlecture presented for the Lecture series "Queer(ing) Linguistics/Feminist Conversations" (Invitation by: Prof. Dr. Isabelle Buchstaller), University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, 14 May 2024.
  5. "Performing and Communicating Queer Identities online: YouTube Coming Out Videos". Talk presented at the Aware together - Uni-Aktionstag gegen Diskriminierung, University of Bremen, Germany, 24 April 2024 (with Prof. Dr. Svenja Kranich).
  1. "Doing gender auf YouTube: Performanz und Aushandlung von Genderidentitäten in Coming-out-Videos". Talk presented at the Jahrestagung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Linguistische Pragmatik (ALP), University of Bochum, Germany, 27 February 2024 (with Prof. Dr. Svenja Kranich)
  2. "Connecting socio-cultural developments and language change: Recent variation in gender-inclusivity in the USA and the UK". Talk presented for the Panel “English address terms in a globalized world: Socio-cultural impact on recent language variation and change” at the 18th International Pragmatics Conference (IPra), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium, 09–14 July 2023
  3. “Democratization effects on nominal address terms – Sir and Guys in 20th and 21st century American English”. Talk presented for the Panel “English address terms in a globalized world: Socio-cultural impact on recent language variation and change” at the 18th International Pragmatics Conference (IPra), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium, 09–14 July 2023 (with Prof. Dr. Svenja Kranich).
  4. “’It is a part of who I am’ - Queer identity construction in online discourse”. Talk presented at the 12th Bonn Applied English Linguistics Conference (BAELc12), University of Bonn, Germany, 07–08 July 2023 (with Prof. Dr. Svenja Kranich, Thomas Esser, Ragnhild Hinderling, M.A., and Lisa Lubomierski, B.A.).
  5. „Ist inklusiver, das mag ich. – Auswirkungen von Geschlecht und Einstellungen zu geschlechtergerechter Sprache auf ihre Nutzung“. Talk presented at the Arbeitsgruppe “Geschlechterbewusste Sprache: Routinisierter Gebrauch und kreative Neuformen“, 45. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Sprachwissenschaft (DGfS), University of Cologne, Germany, 08–10 March 2023 (with Swantje Leiting, B.A.).
  6. “‘Excuse me, sir’ or ‘Okay, you guys’ – Changes in the use of generic nominal address terms in the 20th and 21st century”. Talk presented at the 9th Biennial International Conference on the Linguistics of Contemporary English (BICLCE), University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, 15–17 September 2022 (with Prof. Dr. Svenja Kranich).
  7. “‘Gendern nein danke‘ or ‘Gendern ist richtig und wichtig‘? The impact of attitudes on the use of gender-inclusive language in German”. Talk presented at the conference Attitudes towards gender-inclusive language. A multinational perspective, Queen Mary University of London, England, 08–09 September 2022 (online conference) (with Swantje Leiting, B.A.).
  8. “‘Es ist an uns, liebe Freundinnen und Freunde’ – A diachronic study on gender-fair language use in German and English“. Talk presented at the 11th Bonn Applied English Linguistics Conference (BAELc), University of Bonn, Germany, 24–25 June 2022.
  9. “‘Let’s say, as an example, that gender is binary. L o l.’ – Strategies used to counter the master narrative on transgender identity”. Talk presented at the 11th biennial conference of the International Gender and Language Association (IGALA), Queen Mary University of London, England, 21–22 June 2021 (online conference).
  10. “Democratization and Recent Changes in Language Use in Varieties of English and German”. Talk presented at the Workshop Demokratisierung und Machtstrukturen, University of Bonn, Germany, 06 May 2021 (online workshop) (with Prof. Dr. Svenja Kranich).
  11. “‘Es ist also eine Frage des Geschmacks, ob Sie das Binnen-I in Texten verwenden wollen‘: Zum aktuellen Diskurs um geschlechtergerechte Sprache”. Talk presented at the Dies Academicus, University of Bonn, Germany, 02 December 2020 (online conference).
  12. “Trans* representation online: How to challenge the prevalent discourse on binary gender.” Talk presented at the 9th Bonn Applied English Linguistics Conference (BAELc), University of Bonn, Germany, 27 November 2020 (online conference).
  13. “Socio-cultural impact on changing usage of terms of address and person reference”. Talk presented at the First LETS PhD/Post-doc Colloquium, University of Bonn, Germany, 19 November 2020 (online conference).
  14. “‘It feels very niche, very unique’: A case study of non-conformity to normative ideals in transgender discourse on YouTube”. Talk presented at the 26th Lavender Languages and Linguistics Conference, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, 2–4 May 2019.
  15. “The influence of equivalence and attitudes on the translation of gender-neutral language: ‘It is difficult :-)’”. Talk presented at the Second Translation Studies Day (TraSt), University of Bonn, Germany, 27 March 2019.
  16.  “’Did you just say trans AND non-binary?’ – ‘That is me!’: Challenging the normative ideals of transgender discourse”. Talk presented at the 4th DiscourseNet Winter School, University of Valencia, Spain, 16–18 January 2019.
  17. “Effects of democratization on language use”. Talk presented at the English as a Global Language Symposium, University of Bonn, Germany, 10 December 2018 (with Prof. Dr. Svenja Kranich).
  18. “Requests across varieties and cultures: Norms are changing (but not everywhere in the same way)”. Talk presented at the Anglistentag 2018, University of Bonn, Germany, 23–26 September 2018 (with Prof. Dr. Svenja Kranich and Elisabeth Hampel, M.A.).
  19. “Changes in the modal domain in different varieties of English: Effects of democratization?” Talk presented at the 39th Annual Conference of the International Computer Archive for Modern and Medieval English (ICAME), University of Tampere, Finland, 30 May–3 June 2018 (with Prof. Dr. Svenja Kranich and Elisabeth Hampel, M.A.).
  20. “Why the study of LAnguage MAtters in school – ein Wissenschaftsblog bringt Schüler*innen und Studierende zusammen”. Talk presented at the Dies Academicus, University of Bonn, Germany, 17 May 2017 (with Timo Brede, Dr. Stefanie Pohle and Pawel Sickinger, Dipl. Trans.).
  1. „‚Es gibt keine Norm für diesen Bereich‘ – Ein sprachübergreifender Blick auf die Möglichkeiten der gendersensiblen Sprache“. Workshop presented at the 70th Student Symposium for Linguistics (StuTS), University of Vienna, Austria, 17–20 November 2021 (hybrid conference) (with Lina Rebecca Arnold, M.A.).
  2. “Ist doch nicht so schlimm - oder doch?: Zur Wissenschaftsethik in der Linguistik”. Workshop held at the First Student’s linguistics workshop „Studis für Studis – Linguistik in Bonn“, University of Bonn, Germany, 6–8 February 2020.
  3. “Gender discrimination through language”. Workshop conducted for the 65th Student Symposium for Linguistics (StuTS), University of Cologne, Germany, 23 – 26 May 2019 (with Sarah Lapacz, B.A.).
  4. “Rude Germans, lying Americans: The art of being (im)polite.” Workshop conducted for the Wochen der Studienorientierung, University of Bonn, Germany, 04 February 2019 (with Sophie Decher, B.A.).
  5. “Impoliteness theories”. Workshop conducted at the Gymnasium zum Altenforst, Troisdorf, Germany, 30 May 2017 (with Pawel Sickinger, Dipl. Trans.).
  1. “Times are changing (?): Factors at play in the use of and attitudes towards gender-fair language in English and German”. Poster presented at the 4th Nachwuchstagung Englische Linguistik (NEL), University of Bonn, Germany, 27 March 2023.
  2. “Socio-cultural impact on language change: Use of, and attitudes towards, gender-fair language in English and German”. Poster presented at the Bonn Diversity Days, University of Bonn, Germany, 30 May 2022.
  3. “‘... or this could be like the gender map and somebody is not even on it’: The conceptualization of gender through speech and gesture”. Poster presented at the LingCologne 2019 Conference, University of Cologne, Germany, 6–7 June 2019.
  4. “’It’s also a cultural identity thing’ – The effect of ethnolinguistic threat on short-term phonological divergence in German learners of English”. Poster presented at the English as a Global Language Symposium, University of Bonn, Germany, 10 December 2018.
  5. “Living under the trans-umbrella – First insights into normative ideals and non-conformity”. Poster presented at the Second Symposium for Young Researchers in English Linguistics (NEL), University of Giessen, Germany, 16 November 2018.
  6. “The ‘Alternative für Deutschland’ between claims of moderatism, and xenophobic discourse – The case of National Socialist metaphors”. Poster presented at the 14th Association for Language Awareness conference (ALA), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands, 4–7 July 2018. [Winner „Best Poster Presentation“.]
  7. “‘Scheint ein bösartiges Geschwür am Volkskörper zu sein’ - National Socialist Metaphors in the discourse of the ‘Alternative für Deutschland’”. Poster presented at the 62nd Student Symposium for Linguistics (StuTS), Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, Netherlands, 23–26 November 2017.
  8. “Indirectness and politeness strategies in requests – Comparing German and Indian students in situations of low power distance versus high power distance”. Poster presented at the 6th Bonn Applied English Linguistics Conference (BAELc), University of Bonn, Germany, 12–13 May 2017.