Eivind Nessa Torgersen
Eivind Nessa Torgersen
eivind.torgersen@ntnu.no
About
Research overview
Most of my research deals with phonological and grammatical variation in London, focussing on variation and change in vowel systems. I was a senior research associate at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom (2004-2010) working on the Economic and Social Research Council-funded projects Multicultural London English: the emergence, acquisition and diffusion of a new variety and Linguistic Innovators: The English of adolescents in London. I have also worked on variation in speech rhythm and voice quality, and I was the principal investigator on on a study on indefinite articles and pragmatic markers in London English funded by the British Academy (Analysis of London English using corpus tools, 2008).
Other research interests are in experimental phonetics and speech processing, especially models for word recognition. My PhD (Temporal and semantic factors in perception of the voicing contrast: Processing strategies in L1 and L2, University of Reading, 2004) was a psycholinguistic study on speech processing strategies in second language learners and native speakers of English. In particular it examined how language learners use phonetic and semantic information very early in time after the information was received.
Over the last few years I have been working on acquisition of English in multilingual classrooms in Norway and have held funded projects in this area.
Research grants
Acquisition of English in the multilingual classroom (with Anna Krulatz); The Research Council of Norway, 2018-2023
Increasing teacher awareness about the positive impact of multilingualism on the acquisition of English (with Anna Krulatz); Sør-Trøndelag University College, 2015
Multilingualism in Trondheim public schools: Raising teacher awareness in the English as a Foreign Language classroom (with Anna Krulatz and Anne Dahl); The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, 2014
Analysis of London English using corpus tools; The British Academy, 2008
Current teaching and supervision
I was the main supervisor of Dianna Walla who was a PhD candidate (PhD defence in October 2024) on the project Acquisition of English in the Multilingual Classroom. I am the co-supervisor of PhD candidate Burcu Uzunoner Aydin.
I am a Visiting Professor at Nord University where I teach phonetics and co-supervised a PhD candidate (PhD defence in May 2025), Tone Stuler Myhre.
orcid.org/0000-0001-9370-7416Research
Most of my research deals with phonological and grammatical variation in London, focussing on variation and change in vowel systems. I was a senior research associate at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom (2004-2010) working on the Economic and Social Research Council-funded projects Multicultural London English: the emergence, acquisition and diffusion of a new variety and Linguistic Innovators: The English of adolescents in London. I have also worked on variation in speech rhythm and voice quality, and I was the principal investigator on on a study on indefinite articles and pragmatic markers in London English funded by the British Academy (Analysis of London English using corpus tools, 2008).
Other research interests are in experimental phonetics and speech processing, especially models for word recognition. My PhD (Temporal and semantic factors in perception of the voicing contrast: Processing strategies in L1 and L2, University of Reading, 2004) was a psycholinguistic study on speech processing strategies in second language learners and native speakers of English. In particular it examined how language learners use phonetic and semantic information very early in time after the information was received.
Over the last few years I have been working on acquisition of English in multilingual classrooms in Norway and have held funded projects in this area.
Research grants
Acquisition of English in the multilingual classroom (with Anna Krulatz); The Research Council of Norway, 2018-2023
Increasing teacher awareness about the positive impact of multilingualism on the acquisition of English (with Anna Krulatz); Sør-Trøndelag University College, 2015
Multilingualism in Trondheim public schools: Raising teacher awareness in the English as a Foreign Language classroom (with Anna Krulatz and Anne Dahl); The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, 2014
Analysis of London English using corpus tools; The British Academy, 2008
Acquisition of English in the Multilingual classroom
Analysis of London English using corpus tools
Publications
2025
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2025)
London English (Cockney).
Wiley-Blackwell
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
2024
-
Cheshire, Jenny;
Fox, Sue;
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2024)
Multicultural London English.
Wiley-Blackwell
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
2022
-
Sevinc, Yesim;
Krulatz, Anna;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Christison, MaryAnn.
(2022)
Teaching English in Linguistically Diverse Classrooms in Norway: Teachers' Beliefs, Practices, and Needs in Multilingual Education.
Multilingual Matters
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Ekiert, Monika;
Revesz, Andrea;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Moss, Emily.
(2022)
The Role of Pausing in L2 Oral Task Performance: Toward a Complete Construct of Functional Adequacy .
TASK Journal on Task-Based Language Teaching and Learning
Academic article
2021
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2021)
Language and Street Culture in the Big City.
Routledge
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2021)
Tracing the origins of an urban youth vernacular: founder effects, frequency and culture in the emergence of Multicultural London English.
Routledge
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Lorenz, Eliane;
Krulatz, Anna;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2021)
Embracing linguistic and cultural diversity in multilingual EAL classrooms: The impact of professional development on teacher beliefs and practice.
Teaching and Teacher Education : An International Journal of Research and Studies
Academic article
2020
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Johansen, Åse Mette.
(2020)
Forord.
Målbryting
Editorial
2019
-
Szakay, Anita;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2019)
A re-analysis of f0 in ethnic varieties of London English using REAPER.
Proceedings of the International Congress of Phonetic Sciences
Academic article
-
Johansen, Åse Mette;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2019)
Målbryting er tilbake! Og korfor publisere om sosiolingvistikk på norsk?.
Målbryting
Editorial
2018
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Gabrielatos, Costas;
Hoffmann, Sebastian.
(2018)
A corpus-based analysis of the pragmatic marker you get me.
Routledge
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Fagyal, Zsuzsanna;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
Prosodic rhythm, cultural background, and interaction in adolescent urban vernaculars in Paris: Case studies and comparisons.
Journal of French Language Studies
Academic article
-
Fox, Sue;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
Language change and innovation in London: Multicultural London English.
Palgrave Macmillan
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Dahl, Anne;
Krulatz, Anna;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
The Role of English as a Foreign Language in Educating Refugees in Norway.
Multilingual Matters
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Krulatz, Anna;
Steen-Olsen, Tove Herborg;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
Towards critical cultural and linguistic awareness in language classrooms in Norway: Fostering respect for diversity through identity texts.
Language Teaching Research
Academic article
-
Ekiert, Monika;
Lampropoulou, Sofia;
Revesz, Andrea;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
The effects of task type and L2 proficiency on discourse appropriacy in oral task performance.
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
Teaching pronunciation.
Cappelen Damm Akademisk
Chapter
2017
-
Krulatz, Anna;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2017)
Lingvistiske og sosiale fordeler av flerspråklighet - Fra forskning til pedagogisk praksis innenfor engelskfaget.
Gyldendal Akademisk
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
2016
-
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2016)
London’s Cockney in the twentieth century: stability or cycles of contact-driven change?.
Cambridge University Press
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Krulatz, Anna Maria;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2016)
The Role of the EFL Classroom in Maintaining Multilingual Identities - Issues and Considerations in Sør-Trøndelag Public Schools.
Information Age Publishing
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
2015
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Hårstad, Stian;
Mæhlum, Brit Kirsten;
Røyneland, Unn.
(2015)
Language Variation - European Perspectives V : Selected papers from the Seventh International Conference on Language Variation in Europe (ICLaVE 7), Trondheim, June 2013.
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Studies in Language Variation (17)
Academic anthology/Conference proceedings
-
Szakay, Anita;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2015)
An acoustic analysis of voice quality in London English: The effect of gender, ethnicity and f0.
Proceedings of the International Congress of Phonetic Sciences
Academic article
2014
-
Révész, Andrea;
Ekiert, Monika;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2014)
The Effects of Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency on Communicative Adequacy in Oral Task Performance.
Applied Linguistics
Academic article
2013
-
Kerswill, Paul;
Cheshire, Jenny;
Fox, Sue;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2013)
English as a contact language: the role of children and adolescents.
Cambridge University Press
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Cheshire, Jenny;
Fox, Sue;
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2013)
Language contact and language change in the multicultural metropolis.
Revue Française de Linguistique Appliquée
Academic article
2012
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Szakay, Anita.
(2012)
An investigation of speech rhythm in London English.
Lingua
Academic article
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2012)
A perceptual study of ethnicity and geographical location in London and Birmingham.
De Gruyter Mouton
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
2011
-
Cheshire, Jenny;
Kerswill, Paul;
Fox, Sue;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2011)
Contact, the feature pool and the speech community: The emergence of Multicultural London English.
Journal of Sociolinguistics
Academic article
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Gabrielatos, Costas;
Hoffmann, Sebastian;
Fox, SUSAN.
(2011)
A corpus-based study of pragmatic markers in London English.
Corpus Linguistics and Linguistic Theory
Academic article
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Szakay, Anita.
(2011)
A study of rhythm in London: Is syllable-timing a feature of Multicultural London English?.
The University of Pennsylvania Working Papers in Linguistics
Academic article
-
Fox, Sue;
Khan, Arfaan;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2011)
The emergence and diffusion of Multicultural English.
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
2010
-
Gabrielatos, Costas;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Hoffmann, Sebastian;
Fox, SUSAN.
(2010)
A corpus-based sociolinguistic study of indefinite article forms in London English.
Journal of English Linguistics
Academic article
2008
-
Cheshire, Jenny;
Fox, SUSAN;
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2008)
Ethnicity, friendship network and social practices as the motor of dialect change: Linguistic innovation in London.
Sociolinguistica : Internationales Jahrbuch fuer Europaeische Soziolinguistik
Academic article
-
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Fox, SUSAN.
(2008)
Reversing ‘drift’: Innovation and diffusion in the London diphthong system.
Language Variation and Change
Academic article
2004
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Kerswill, Paul.
(2004)
Internal and external motivation in phonetic change: Dialect levelling outcomes for an English vowel shift.
Journal of Sociolinguistics
Academic article
Journal publications
-
Ekiert, Monika;
Revesz, Andrea;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Moss, Emily.
(2022)
The Role of Pausing in L2 Oral Task Performance: Toward a Complete Construct of Functional Adequacy .
TASK Journal on Task-Based Language Teaching and Learning
Academic article
-
Lorenz, Eliane;
Krulatz, Anna;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2021)
Embracing linguistic and cultural diversity in multilingual EAL classrooms: The impact of professional development on teacher beliefs and practice.
Teaching and Teacher Education : An International Journal of Research and Studies
Academic article
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Johansen, Åse Mette.
(2020)
Forord.
Målbryting
Editorial
-
Szakay, Anita;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2019)
A re-analysis of f0 in ethnic varieties of London English using REAPER.
Proceedings of the International Congress of Phonetic Sciences
Academic article
-
Johansen, Åse Mette;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2019)
Målbryting er tilbake! Og korfor publisere om sosiolingvistikk på norsk?.
Målbryting
Editorial
-
Fagyal, Zsuzsanna;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
Prosodic rhythm, cultural background, and interaction in adolescent urban vernaculars in Paris: Case studies and comparisons.
Journal of French Language Studies
Academic article
-
Krulatz, Anna;
Steen-Olsen, Tove Herborg;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
Towards critical cultural and linguistic awareness in language classrooms in Norway: Fostering respect for diversity through identity texts.
Language Teaching Research
Academic article
-
Szakay, Anita;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2015)
An acoustic analysis of voice quality in London English: The effect of gender, ethnicity and f0.
Proceedings of the International Congress of Phonetic Sciences
Academic article
-
Révész, Andrea;
Ekiert, Monika;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2014)
The Effects of Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency on Communicative Adequacy in Oral Task Performance.
Applied Linguistics
Academic article
-
Cheshire, Jenny;
Fox, Sue;
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2013)
Language contact and language change in the multicultural metropolis.
Revue Française de Linguistique Appliquée
Academic article
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Szakay, Anita.
(2012)
An investigation of speech rhythm in London English.
Lingua
Academic article
-
Cheshire, Jenny;
Kerswill, Paul;
Fox, Sue;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2011)
Contact, the feature pool and the speech community: The emergence of Multicultural London English.
Journal of Sociolinguistics
Academic article
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Gabrielatos, Costas;
Hoffmann, Sebastian;
Fox, SUSAN.
(2011)
A corpus-based study of pragmatic markers in London English.
Corpus Linguistics and Linguistic Theory
Academic article
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Szakay, Anita.
(2011)
A study of rhythm in London: Is syllable-timing a feature of Multicultural London English?.
The University of Pennsylvania Working Papers in Linguistics
Academic article
-
Gabrielatos, Costas;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Hoffmann, Sebastian;
Fox, SUSAN.
(2010)
A corpus-based sociolinguistic study of indefinite article forms in London English.
Journal of English Linguistics
Academic article
-
Cheshire, Jenny;
Fox, SUSAN;
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2008)
Ethnicity, friendship network and social practices as the motor of dialect change: Linguistic innovation in London.
Sociolinguistica : Internationales Jahrbuch fuer Europaeische Soziolinguistik
Academic article
-
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Fox, SUSAN.
(2008)
Reversing ‘drift’: Innovation and diffusion in the London diphthong system.
Language Variation and Change
Academic article
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Kerswill, Paul.
(2004)
Internal and external motivation in phonetic change: Dialect levelling outcomes for an English vowel shift.
Journal of Sociolinguistics
Academic article
Books
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Hårstad, Stian;
Mæhlum, Brit Kirsten;
Røyneland, Unn.
(2015)
Language Variation - European Perspectives V : Selected papers from the Seventh International Conference on Language Variation in Europe (ICLaVE 7), Trondheim, June 2013.
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Studies in Language Variation (17)
Academic anthology/Conference proceedings
Part of book/report
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2025)
London English (Cockney).
Wiley-Blackwell
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Cheshire, Jenny;
Fox, Sue;
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2024)
Multicultural London English.
Wiley-Blackwell
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Sevinc, Yesim;
Krulatz, Anna;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Christison, MaryAnn.
(2022)
Teaching English in Linguistically Diverse Classrooms in Norway: Teachers' Beliefs, Practices, and Needs in Multilingual Education.
Multilingual Matters
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2021)
Language and Street Culture in the Big City.
Routledge
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2021)
Tracing the origins of an urban youth vernacular: founder effects, frequency and culture in the emergence of Multicultural London English.
Routledge
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa;
Gabrielatos, Costas;
Hoffmann, Sebastian.
(2018)
A corpus-based analysis of the pragmatic marker you get me.
Routledge
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Fox, Sue;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
Language change and innovation in London: Multicultural London English.
Palgrave Macmillan
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Dahl, Anne;
Krulatz, Anna;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
The Role of English as a Foreign Language in Educating Refugees in Norway.
Multilingual Matters
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Ekiert, Monika;
Lampropoulou, Sofia;
Revesz, Andrea;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
The effects of task type and L2 proficiency on discourse appropriacy in oral task performance.
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2018)
Teaching pronunciation.
Cappelen Damm Akademisk
Chapter
-
Krulatz, Anna;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2017)
Lingvistiske og sosiale fordeler av flerspråklighet - Fra forskning til pedagogisk praksis innenfor engelskfaget.
Gyldendal Akademisk
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Kerswill, Paul;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2016)
London’s Cockney in the twentieth century: stability or cycles of contact-driven change?.
Cambridge University Press
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Krulatz, Anna Maria;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2016)
The Role of the EFL Classroom in Maintaining Multilingual Identities - Issues and Considerations in Sør-Trøndelag Public Schools.
Information Age Publishing
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Kerswill, Paul;
Cheshire, Jenny;
Fox, Sue;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2013)
English as a contact language: the role of children and adolescents.
Cambridge University Press
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2012)
A perceptual study of ethnicity and geographical location in London and Birmingham.
De Gruyter Mouton
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Fox, Sue;
Khan, Arfaan;
Torgersen, Eivind Nessa.
(2011)
The emergence and diffusion of Multicultural English.
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Teaching
Courses
I am a Visiting Professor at Nord University where I teach English phonetics and phonology. I will be Professor II (visiting professor) at FLU Levanger, Nord University, from August 2023.
Supervision
I supervise Dianna Walla who is a PhD student working on the project Acquisition of English in the Multilingual Classroom.
I co-supervise a PhD student, Tone Stuler Myhre, at Nord University.