Sonja L. Lanehart facts for kids

Sonja L. Lanehart (born November 4, 1966) is an American expert in language. She is a professor of linguistics at the University of Arizona. Her work has greatly helped us understand how language is used in the African American community.

Professor Lanehart studies many topics. These include African American English, education, reading and writing skills (literacy), and how language shows who we are (identity). She also looks at how language changes and how different groups of people use language. Her studies often focus on how culture and history shape language. She also uses ideas from Critical Race Theory and Black feminism in her research. Before joining the University of Arizona in 2019, she was a special professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. In 2021, the Linguistic Society of America chose her as a Fellow, which is a high honor.

Who is Sonja L. Lanehart?

Her Early Life and Family

Sonja L. Lanehart was born on November 4, 1966. She grew up in a town in the Southern United States. Until sixth grade, she lived in a Black, working-class neighborhood. She went to a special school called a magnet school. Later, her family moved, and she attended a more mixed middle and high school. She describes her family as "middle-class."

Her family greatly influenced her studies. Her book Sista, Speak! (2002) shares stories from five African American women in her family, including herself. These women faced challenges with reading and writing because they didn't have many chances for education. This inspired Professor Lanehart to share their stories. She believes in supporting those closest to her through her work. She also mentions her husband, Paul, and her son, Isaac, as important people in her life.

Her Education and Career

Professor Lanehart earned her first college degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1990. She studied English and educational psychology. She then went to the University of Michigan, where she earned her master's degree in English Language Literature in 1991. She continued her studies there and received her Ph.D. in English Language and Literature in 1995.

While studying for her Ph.D., she also taught at the University of Michigan. From 1995 to 2002, she was a professor at the University of Georgia. She became an associate professor there in 2002. In 2006, Professor Lanehart moved to the University of Texas at San Antonio. She held a special teaching position there until 2019. Then, she became a professor of Linguistics at the University of Arizona. She also works with the Teaching, Learning, and Sociocultural Studies program there.

What are Her Main Books and Projects?

Sociocultural and Historical Contexts of African American English (2001)

In 1998, Professor Lanehart organized a conference about African American English. Many famous linguists, like William Labov and Geneva Smitherman, shared their work. She then collected and edited these presentations into a book called Sociocultural and Historical Contexts of African American English (2001). The book has five parts and fourteen chapters. Each chapter was written by a different expert from the conference.

Professor Lanehart wrote the introduction and a chapter that summarized the book's goals. She wanted to help people understand how African American English is used. She also wanted to show how it compares to other languages. Most importantly, she wanted to highlight how important language is to different groups. She asked many questions to the experts, like "What is African American English?" She didn't expect all answers, but hoped to guide future studies.

This book emphasizes that language is shaped by culture and history. Professor Lanehart believes these are key to understanding African American English. She also stressed the need for more research in sociolinguistics. This means studying how language connects to society. She also wanted research on African American English to be easier for everyone to understand. This way, it could help with education and social issues.

Sista, Speak! Black Women Kinfolk Talk About Language and Literacy (2002)

In her book Sista, Speak!, Professor Lanehart shares the stories of five African American women from her family. These include her grandmother, mother, aunt, sister, and herself. She wanted to learn about their ideas and experiences with language and literacy. She explores how race, education, community, and language status affected their speech.

Professor Lanehart argues that there is no single "correct" English. So, calling African American English "wrong" is not fair. For example, she points out that African American English often uses "double negatives," like "I don't want nobody doing that." While some might see this as incorrect, it's a normal and accepted part of African American English. She believes that the language itself is not flawed, but the culture that criticizes it is.

One of her goals for the book was to encourage self-reflection. She wanted to answer questions she had as a child about African American women, language, and literacy. She believes readers should think about their own experiences. This helps them understand how culture and history shape who they are.

To write the book, she interviewed each woman. She also collected their writings, like essays and letters. These stories show how language, identity, and culture are all connected. This makes the book a great example of sociolinguistics.

Professor Lanehart concludes by discussing how non-standard languages are treated in the United States. She says that judging people based on their language is a big problem. This has led to unfairness in society and education, especially for Black Americans. To fix this, she believes society must stop thinking there's only one "proper" language. Instead, we should celebrate all the different ways people speak.

In 2004, two professors, Debra Goodman and Yetta M. Goodman, reviewed Sista, Speak!. They praised Professor Lanehart for giving African American women a voice. They agreed that language is tied to culture and comes in many forms. They said that teachers must be aware of their own language biases. This helps create a better learning environment for all students.

African American Women's Language: Discourse, Education, and Identity (2009)

African American Women's Language: Discourse, Education, and Identity (2009), or AAWL, is another book edited by Professor Lanehart. It came out after a conference she hosted in 2008. Scholars like Lisa Green and Arthur K. Spears presented their work. Professor Lanehart collected their presentations and wrote the introduction. The book has four parts and 17 chapters.

The book covers different aspects of African American women's language. It looks at how language connects to identity and history. It also analyzes the structure and use of the language in various situations. The book even explores how this language is shown in movies and books. Finally, it examines how speakers use the language and where it is used in the African American community.

Professor Lanehart defines African American women's language simply as "The language spoken by African American women." She wants to show how important this language is in real-life situations, not just as a collection of facts. She hopes readers will understand the many different forms of African American language. She also wants them to see how factors like age and context change its use. She believes AAWL will help future research on this important topic.

The Oxford Handbook of African American Language (2015)

Professor Lanehart also edited The Oxford Handbook of African American Language (2015), or OHAAL. This book is a big research text about language use in African American communities. It has seven parts and forty-eight chapters. Many experts, including John R. Rickford and Salikoko S. Mufwene, wrote chapters for it. Professor Lanehart also co-wrote the introduction and a chapter on language and identity.

The introduction explains how the study of African American English has grown since the 1990s. It now includes many topics, like education policies and child language. Professor Lanehart and her co-author wanted the book to share both new and old research. They believe that working together and talking about ideas helps us learn more about African American English.

In her chapter, "African American Language and Identity: Contradictions and Conundrums," Professor Lanehart explains difficult terms about language and identity. She emphasizes that language, identity, and culture are deeply connected. She also rejects the idea of a "standard" or "correct" English. She shares her own experiences with prejudice against African American English. She notes that this can lead to shame for some speakers. However, she also describes pride in the language. Some speakers, like author Toni Morrison, refuse to be shamed. They are proud of how African American English shows their community, history, and identity. Professor Lanehart explains that African American English comes from the unique experiences of its speakers.

She concludes that there is a conflict between African American language and the language of society and education (Standard English). But she also states that African Americans will not let their language be belittled. She believes African American English is the language of a community that has faced many challenges. Its speakers will continue to use it despite discrimination.

The OHAAL was well-received. Jessica Grieser, a professor at the University of Tennessee, praised the book for being very thorough. She said it included both old and new research, pushing the study of African American language forward. Anne H. Charity Hudley, a professor at the University of California Santa Barbara, also praised the book. She liked that it included voices from both new and established scholars.

"Talking Black in America" (2017) and "Signing Black in America: The Story of Black ASL" (2020)

Professor Lanehart also worked on two documentaries. "Talking Black in America" (2017) explores African American English through the experiences of everyday people. It includes insights from teachers, linguists, and historians. The film shows how important African American English is in the United States. It was filmed in different places to show the various ways the language is spoken.

"Signing Black in America: The Story of Black ASL" (2020) is about Black ASL. This is a special dialect of American Sign Language. Because of historical segregation, Black ASL has unique features. These include how hands move, where gestures are made, and facial expressions. The film shows how Black ASL helps form identity and build community among Black Deaf people.

Professor Lanehart was an associate producer for both documentaries. She worked with a team of linguists, including Arthur K. Spears and Lisa Green.

What Organizations Does She Work With?

American Dialect Society

Professor Lanehart has been a member of the American Dialect Society since 1998. She helps review proposals and serves on important committees. In January 2020, she was a main speaker at a conference called "Unapologetically Black Language, Linguists, and Linguistics."

Linguistic Society of America

Professor Lanehart started working with The Linguistic Society of America (LSA) as a student. She has had many roles, including organizing events and leading committees. She co-chaired the Committee on Ethnic Diversity in Linguistics for several years. In 2021, the LSA named her a Fellow. This honor is given to members who have made important contributions to the study of language. In 2025, she received the LSA's mentoring award for her work guiding students.

Brackenridge Endowed Chair

From 2006 to 2019, Professor Lanehart held a special position at the University of Texas at San Antonio. It was called the Brackenridge Endowed Chair in Literature and Humanities. This position came with funding from the George W. Brackenridge Foundation. This foundation helps students in Texas schools. With this money, Professor Lanehart supported her students. She also attended language conferences and organized academic events. The funding also helped publish The Oxford Handbook African American Language (2015).

How Do Other Experts See Her Work?

How Her Work is Used by Others

Other language experts often use Professor Lanehart's work. For example, her books have been cited in major textbooks like An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (2011) and Introducing Sociolinguistics (2018). Her texts are also used to understand language prejudice and education. Her book Sista, Speak! was mentioned in a chapter about "Linguistic Profiling." Her work has also been used in articles about Black student achievement.

A Discussion About Her Book Sociocultural and Historical Contexts of African American English (2001)

A few years after its release, Professor Lanehart's book Sociocultural and Historical Contexts of African American English (2001) sparked a discussion. In 2003, Professor Kirk Hazen wrote a review of the book. He pointed out some things he found unclear or lacking. For example, he felt some terms were not clear. He also thought the book focused more on the language itself than its cultural and historical background.

A year later, Geneva Smitherman and Arthur K. Spears, who contributed to Professor Lanehart's book, wrote a response to Hazen's review. They disagreed with his criticisms. They explained why the terms he found unclear were actually well-known in the field. They also argued that cultural contexts are naturally part of language study. They also clarified what "empirical data" means in research, saying it's not just about statistics.

In 2004, Professor Hazen wrote a short reply. He explained that his review was meant to encourage thought and discussion. He said that differences in opinion are natural and help scholarship grow. He respected Smitherman and Spears, calling them "respected elders" in the field.

Selected Publications

Book chapters

• Lanehart, Sonja L. "African American Vernacular English." The Handbook of Language and Ethnic Identity. Ed. Joshua Fishman. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999: 211–225.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "If Our Children Are Our Future, Why Are We Stuck in the Past?: Beyond the Anglicists and the Creolists, and Toward Social Change." In Talkin' Black Talk: Language, Education, and Social Change. Eds. H. Samy Alim and John Baugh. New York: Teachers College Press, 2007: 132–141.
• Kretzschmar, William A., Sonja L. Lanehart, Bridget Anderson, and Rebecca Childs. "The Relevance of Community Language Studies to HEL: The View from Roswell." In Studies in the History of the English Language III. Eds. Christopher M. Cain and Geoffrey Russom. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2007: 173–186.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "African American Language." The Handbook of Language and Ethnic Identity, 2nd ed. Eds. Joshua Fishman and Ofelia Garcia. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010: 340–352.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "To Continue Moving Forward in English Language and Linguistics Research in the Twenty-First Century." Contours of English and English Language Studies. Eds. Michael Adams and Anne Curzan. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2011: 71–81.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "Re-viewing the Origins and History of African American Language." In English Historical Linguistics: An International Handbook, Volume 2 (HSK 34.2). Eds. Alexander Bergs and Laurel J. Brinton. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2012: 1826–1839.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "How Is HEL Relevant to Me?" In Approaches to Teaching the History of the English Language: Pedagogy in Practice. Eds. Mary Hayes and Allison Burkette. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017: 41–56.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. and Ayesha M. Malik. "Black Is, Black Isn't: Perceptions of Language and Blackness." In Language Variety in the New South: Contemporary Perspectives on Change and Variation. Eds. Jeffrey Reaser, Eric Wilbanks, Karissa Wojcik, and Walt Wolfram. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2018: 203–222.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "Re-viewing the Origins and History of African American Language." In English Historical Linguistics: An International Handbook, 2nd edition. Eds. Alexander Bergs and Laurel J. Brinton. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2018: 80–95.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "Can You Hear (and See) Me Now?: Race-ing American Language Variationist/Change and Sociolinguistic Research Methodologies." In Understanding Critical Race Research Methods and Methodologies: Lessons from the Field. Eds. Jessica DeCuir-Gunby, Thandeka Chapman, and Paul A. Schutz. New York and London: Routledge, 2019: 34–47.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "'I, Too, Am America': AAL, #BlackLivesMatter, and Social Justice Activism in Sociolinguistics." In The Routledge Companion to the Work of John R. Rickford. Eds. Renée Blake and Isabelle Buchstaller. London and New York: Routledge, 2020: 452–460.

Journal articles

• Schutz, Paul A. and Sonja L. Lanehart. "Long-term Educational Goals, Subgoals, Learning Strategies Use and the Academic Performance of College Students." Learning and Individual Differences 6.4 (1994): 399–412.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "The Language of Identity." Journal of English Linguistics 24.4 (1996): 322- 331.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "Our Language, Our Selves." Journal of Commonwealth and Postcolonial Studies 4.1 (1996): 24–36.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "African American Vernacular English in Education: The Dynamics of Pedagogy, Ideology, and Identity." Journal of English Linguistics 26.2 (1998): 122–136.
• Schutz, Paul A., Vicky White, and Sonja L. Lanehart. "Core Goals and Their Relationship to Semester Subgoals and Academic Performance." Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory, and Practice 2.1 (2000): 13–28.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. and Paul A. Schutz. "Facilitating Self-regulation in Linguistics Classrooms." Academic Exchange Quarterly 5.3 (2001): 83–87.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "Goals and Teaching English Language Classes." Journal of English Linguistics on Teaching American English 30.4 (December 2002): 328–338.
• Lanehart, Sonja L. "Diversity and Intersectionality." Texas Linguistic Forum 53 (2009): 1–8.