Since her PhD at Bryn Mawr College (2005), Maria Shardakova’s research centered on the question how people do things with words, how they construct meaning in interaction, particularly when using their second languages. Maria’s exploration of second-language pragmatics has since expanded to include conversational humor and other forms of linguistic creativity. Maria has published extensively on second-language and cross-cultural humor including articles that examine the connection between linguistic development and playful practices, bilingualism and identity construction, and the audience’s perception of second-language humor and the humorist. Her current book project on the subject is entitled, “No Laughing Matter: The Reinvention of Russia through Humor.”
Maria’s teaching is closely tied with and informed by her research in second language methodology, pedagogy, and assessment. Maria is currently working on two collaborative initiatives: creating instructional materials in Open Educational Resources and developing online materials for Russian language tutors.
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