Helena Dobrovoljc (1 October 1971) is the head of the Orthographic Section and the head of the project group for the preparation of the new normative guide – Pravopis 8.0 and moderator of the Language Consulting. Her research focusses on modern standard language, the development of norm theory and codification and normative aspects in lexicography. She is the editor of the Lingua Slovenica – Fontes book series and co-editor of Pravopis 8.0, a growing orthographic dictionary ePravopis and Spelling categories on the Fran portal. She is a lecturer at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Nova Gorica, where she teaches Slovene Literary Language, Normativistics and Slovene Language in Education, and at the ZRC Postgraduate School teaching Normativity and Sociolinguistics in Dictionaries, Grammar and Spelling.

Research Areas

• theory of standard language
• language consulting
• slovene orthography
• applied linguistics and sociolinguistics
• language planning and language policy
• lexicology and lexicography

Education, Academic and Scientific Titles

• 2019: associate professor of linguistics, Postgraduate School ZRC SAZU
• 2008: assistant professor of linguistics, University of Nova Gorica
• 2004: PhD thesis: Preverba teorije o jezikovni naravnosti na slovenskem (obliko)skladenjskem gradivu (Verification of the Theory of Linguistic Naturalness on Slovene (Morpho)Syntactic Material), Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
• 2001: MA thesis: Pereča pravopisna vprašanja od Škrabca do danes (Difficult Spelling Questions from Škrabec to the Present Day), Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
• 1995: BA degree in Slovenian Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
• 1990: exit examination, Gimnazija in srednja šola Rudolfa Maistra Kamnik, Kamnik

Employments, Leadership Positions and Competences

Employments:

• 1995–: ZRC SAZU, Fran Ramovš Institute of the Slovenian Language
• 2008–: secondary employment, University of Nova Gorica
• 2014–: temporary employment, Postgraduate School ZRC SAZU
• 2011/2012: visiting professor, Alpen-Adria University Klagenfurt

Leadership Positions:

• 2018–: head of the Orthographic Section, Fran Ramovš Institute of the Slovenian Language, ZRC SAZU
• 2012–: moderator of the Language Consulting, Fran Ramovš Institute of the Slovenian Language, ZRC SAZU
• 2012–: head of the Commission on Orthography at the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts and the Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
• 2008–2011: head of the applied research project Sodobni pravopisni priročnik med normo in predpisom (A modern Spelling Guide between Norm and Prescription)
• 2006–2008: head of the program group The Slovenian Language in Synchronic and Diachronic Development
• 2006–2008: head of the infrastructure group Natural and Cultural Heritage, ZRC SAZU
• 2004–2006: deputy head of the Fran Ramovš Institute for the Slovene Language

Supervision:

• initiation of new colleagues into the work: Urška Vranjek Ošlak
• PhD supervision: Mateja Curk, Nika Siebenreich, Manca Černivec, Pia Rednak
• young researcher: Manca Černivec

Work in Editorial Boards and Expert Commissions

• 2018–: member of the Commission for the Standardization of Geographical Names of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia
• 2016, 2018, 2020: member of the programme board of the international scientific conferences Language Technologies & Digital Humanities
• 2016, 2019, 2024: member of the programme board of international scientific symposium Obdobja
• 2016–2017: member of the programme board of the portal Language Policy of the Republic of Slovenia
• 2016–2024: member of the editorial council of the New Etymological Dictionary of the Slovenian Language
• 2014–2024: member of the editorial board of the Fran portal
• 2014–: member of the editorial board of the Kamnik Proceedings
• 2012–: member of the editorial board of the Language Consulting
• 2015–2019: member of the School of Humanities Senate, University of Nova Gorica
• 2015 –2016: member of the organizing committee of the Toporišič’s Year event
• 2015: member of the programme board of the Janes conference Slovene Online and in New Media (Slovenščina na spletu in v novih medijih)
• 2014–: member of the editorial board of the new Dictionary of the Slovenian Standard Language
• 2013–2014: member of the working group for the preparation of the Action Plan for Language Equipment, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia
• 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019: member the programme and organizing committee of the international scientific symposium Škrabec Days
• 2008–2013: member of the Commission for Professional Issues of the Slovene Language at SAZU
• 2004–: member of the Založba ZRC Publishing Council
• 2004–: editor of the scientific monograph series Lingua Slovenica and Lingua Slovenica – Fontes at Založba ZRC

Outstanding Achievements, Awards and Grants

• 2023, 2024: co-editor and co-author of Pravopis 8.0; chapters Slovnični oris za pravopis – Glasoslovni oris, Glasovno-črkovne premene (A short grammar for the needs of borrowing from foreign languages: Phonology and Phonetic and Spelling Changes)
• 2021: Excellence in Science Award conferred by ARIS for »Jezikovna svetovalnica – spletni priročnik s 3000 odgovori jezikovnim uporabnikom« (Language Consulting Center – an online guide with 3,000 answers for language users)
• 2021: co-editor and co-author of Pravopisa 8.0; chapters Velika in mala začetnica (Capitalisation), Prevzete besede in besedne zveze (Loan words)
• 2020: co-author of the scientific monograph Kje pa vas jezik žuli? Prva pomoč iz Jezikovne svetovalnice, Helena Dobrovoljc, Tina Lengar Verovnik, Urška Vranjek Ošlak, Mija Michelizza, Peter Weiss, Nataša Gliha Komac
• 2019: co-editor and co-author of Pravopis 8.0; chapters Pisna znamenja in Krajšave (Written Signs and Abbreviations)
• 2014–: co-editor and co-author of Problem Categories of ePravopis: Slovenian Normative Guide
• 2014– co-editor and co-author in preparing a new spelling dictionary – ePravopis, Aleksandra Bizjak Končar, Manca Černivec, Helena Dobrovoljc, Janoš Ježovnik, Boris Kern, Tina Lengar Verovnik, Matej Meterc, Urška Vranjek Ošlak, Peter Weiss
• 2012 in 2015: co-editing and co-authorship in discussions of orthographic issues Orthographic Contacts and Orthographic Crossroads