Tjaša Jakop is a researcher at the Departement of Language Standardisation. Her research focusses on Slovene dialects, specifically the collection and analysis of dialect material, with a particular emphasis on the Styrian and Pannonian dialect groups. Her primary research focus is dialectal morphology, especially the category of the dual —on which she has published two monographs: one in Slovene and one in English (The Dual in Slovene Dialects, 2008) )—as well as gender. Additionally, she is actively involved in preparing the Slovenian Linguistic Atlas, which involves the recording and phonological/morphological description of various dialects (including those in Italy, Austria, and Croatia), alongside the geolinguistic presentation of dialectal lexica and morphological features (having published over 70 morphological and lexical maps with commentary).

Part of her research also covers the dialect analysis of Slovene folk songs. She has contributet to the extensive Slovenian Folk Songs corpus (from the fifth volume onward, 2007–) and has authored several papers in this field since 2005. Since 2022, she has been a member of the multidisciplinary research programme Heritage on the margins: new perspectives on heritage and identity within and beyond national. Recently, her work has also expanded into language consulting. She regulary presents at conferences both at home and abroad, and frequently appears in the media to intoduce Slovenian dialectology, dialects, dialect creative writing, sociolinguistics and the history of the Slovenian language to the general public.

Research Areas

• dialectology
• geolinguistics, linguistic geography
• dialect morphology
• dialect lexica
• Styrian and Pannonian dialect group
• languages in contact
• sociolinguistics
• dialectal image of Slovene folksongs, pop and rap lyrics
• taboo expressions
• live heritage
• heritagization of borders

Education, Academic and Scientific Titles

• 2012–: senior research fellow, ZRC SAZU, Fran Ramovš Institute of the Slovenian Language
• 2007–: research fellow, ZRC SAZU, Fran Ramovš Institute of the Slovenian Language
• 2004–: research assistant, ZRC SAZU, Fran Ramovš Institute of the Slovenian Language
• 2004: PhD thesis: Dvojina v slovenskih narečjih (The Dual in Slovene Dialects), Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
• 2001: MA thesis: Oblikoslovje govora Ložnice pri Žalcu (Morphology of local dialect of Ložnica pri Žalcu), Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
• 1998: BA degrees in A – Slovenian Language and Literature and B – General Linguistics, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana
• 1993: exit examination, Konservatorij za glasbo in balet Maribor, Maribor

Employments:

• 1998–: ZRC SAZU, Fran Ramovš Institute of the Slovenian Language

Supervision:

• BA theses supervision: Maja Lugarič

Other Experience:

• 2004–2025: visits and guest lectures at universities, linguistic symposiums and conferences in Slovenia and abroad (Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Turkey)
• 2004–2024: guest in approx. 40 radio and television shows
• 2024:  three months of research work (as a visiting researcher) in Croatia (Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Filozofski fakultet)
• 2013: one month of research work (as a visiting researcher) at the Institute of Croatian Language and Linguistics (Institut za hrvatski jezik i jezikoslovlje) in Zagreb, Croatia
• 1995: participation in a summer school of the Hungarian language (Debrecen, Hungary)

Work in Editorial Boards and Expert Commissions

• 2024–: main editor of Slovenski istrski lingvistični atlas (Slovenian Istrian linguistic Atlas, author: Suzana Todorović)
• 2023: main editor of Heriskop: razprave o dediščinjenju na obrobju (Heriscope: Observing heritage-making on the margins)
• 2023: member of Association for the Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS)
• 2019: main editor of atlases Jezikovni atlas Istrskobeneški jezikovni atlas severozahodne Istre 1, 2 in 3 - Atlante linguistico istroveneto dell’Istria nordoccidentale 1, 2 in 3 (Linguistic Atlas of Istrian-Venetian of North-western Istria, author: Suzana Todorović)
• 2006: member of the Commission for dialect texts (award) of the cultural event Tamburanje va Kostele

Outstanding Achievements, Awards and Grants

• 2023: Recognition of the Slovenian Science Foundation for special achievements in science communication for 2022, Tjaša Jakop (a member of a team that prepared and implemented the international project Agon(ija) Epidemije)
• 2020: scientific article Beobachtungen zum Slowenischen in handschriftlichen Mitteilungstexten auf Postkarten der Untersteiermark zwischen 1890 und 1918 published in Bildspuren - Sprachspuren: Postkarten als Quellen zur Mehrsprachigkeit in der späten Habsburger Monarchie
• 2019: scientific article Word borrowing in Slovene dialects in the semantic fields ´human body´, ´relatives´ and ´friends´ in: Filolog: časopis za jezik književnost i kulturu
• 2018: scientific article Slovene nouns and adjectives: non-standard use of dual number from 1925 to 2015 published in Handbook of the changing world language map living reference work
• 2012: original scientific article in Linguistica: Use of dual in standard Slovene, colloquial Slovene and Slovene dialects
• 2008: scientific monograph The Dual in Slovene Dialects published at Brockmeyer Verlag
• 2004: prize of the Slavic Society of Slovenia for the PhD thesis Dvojina v slovenskih narečjih (The dual in Slovene Dialects)

2026: Fonološki opis govora kraja Vojnik (SLA T326)

2025: Glasoslovje prekmurskega govora Cankove skozi čas. 

2024: Fonološki opis govora kraja Dobovec pri Rogatcu (SLA T339) 

2023: Slovenski lingvistični atlas 3, Kmetovanje - orodje, opravila (co-author)

2022: Fonološki opis govora Slivnice pri Celju (SLA T331)

2021: Prekmurske ljudske pesmi v glasoslovni razpravi Avgusta Pavla (1909)

2019: Maskulinizacija in feminizacija v srednjesavinjskem narečju

2008: Dvojina v slovenskih narečjih,

2008: The Dual in Slovene Dialects

• Heritage on the margins: new perspectives on heritage and identity within and beyond national (research programme • January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2027)
• Research of endangered dialects in the Slovene language area (Radgonski kot, Gradiščanska, Hum na Sutli with surroundings, Dubravica with surroundings (October 1, 2021 - August 31, 2024)
• i-SLA – Interactive Atlas of Slovenian Dialects (applied research project • September 1, 2020 - August 31, 2024)
• Spletni portal Franček, Jezikovna svetovalnica za učitelje slovenščine in Šolski slovar slovenskega jezika (July 19, 2017 - September 30, 2021)
• Materialna kulturna dediščina v slovenskih narečjih: geolingvistična predstavitev (July 1, 2011 - December 31, 2015)
• Slovenski jezik v sinhronem in diahronem razvoju (research programme • January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2014)
• Besedje iz pomenskega polja ''človek'' v slovenskih narečjih – geolingvistična predstavitev (applied research project • July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2010)

• 2023: Recognition of the Slovenian Science Foundation for special achievements in science communication for 2022, Tjaša Jakop (a member of a team that prepared and implemented the international project Agon(ija) Epidemije)
• 2004: prize of the Slavic Society of Slovenia for the PhD thesis Dvojina v slovenskih narečjih (The dual in Slovene Dialects)