This fall, the School of Social Sciences is pleased to welcome the newest addition to the Department of Linguistics faculty, John Baugh. Baugh, the Barbara Jordan Distinguished Professor of Linguistics, is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and past president of the Linguistic Society of America and American Dialect Society.
“We are delighted that John decided to join us in Linguistics,” said Rachel Kimbro, dean of the School of Social Sciences. “He is a highly-cited, extremely well-regarded scholar, and I look forward to all he achieves at Rice.”
Holding a Ph.D. in linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania, Baugh is a renowned scholar with an extensive, interdisciplinary background. Most recently, Baugh served as the Margaret Bush Wilson Distinguished University Professor at Washington University in St. Louis, specializing in linguistics, psychological and brain sciences, anthropology, education, English, African and African American studies, American culture studies, philosophy-neuroscience-psychology, and urban studies. Prior to his time at Washington University in St. Louis, Baugh taught at Stanford University, Swarthmore College, and the University of Texas at Austin.
“My career remains devoted to the advancement of linguistic human rights, and I am honored to continue that unwavering quest for justice at Rice University in the name of Barbara Jordan, an inspirational Houstonian of exceptional merit,” said Baugh.
John Baugh’s interest in linguistics was cultivated by a series of key events and circumstances in his life. A child of parents who emphasized the importance of education, Baugh and his family lived near Philadelphia, relocated to a neighborhood of Los Angeles, and then settled in California’s San Fernando Valley, exposing Baugh to an array of different cultures and communities.
Although unsure of his place in higher education, Baugh made his way back to Philadelphia as an accounting student at Temple University. While taking a public speaking class, Baugh became interested in the different accents he observed. After reading an article by William Labov, Baugh was inspired to work with him as a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, studying African American language.
“I have the distinction of being the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania,” said Baugh. “That unique circumstance is due fundamentally to my luminary mentors, including William Labov, Erving Goffman, and Dell Hymes.”
Baugh focuses his research on the linguistic behaviors of various socially stratified communities. His seminal research on linguistic profiling, a concept he developed, began by addressing discrimination that occurs when individuals inquire about housing over the phone and the associated legal implications. Baugh’s TEDX Talk on the topic, “The Significance of Linguistic Profiling,” has received widespread attention.
"John Baugh is a highly recognized leader in his field,” said Amy Dittmar, Rice University provost. “He is an accomplished scholar whose work across disciplines has led to significant strides in exposing and reducing racial and linguistic disparities. We are pleased to welcome him to Rice.”
Baugh has authored and edited multiple books, including Out of the Mouths of Slaves: African American Language and Educational Malpractice, Beyond Ebonics: Linguistic Pride and Racial Prejudice, Black Street Speech: Its History, Structure, and Survival, and Linguistics in Pursuit of Justice.
In addition to the American Association for the Advancement of Science fellowship he was awarded in 2021, Baugh is also a Fellow of the Linguistic Society of America and the American Dialect Society. During the presidency of George W. Bush, he received the award for being a Pioneer of Fair Housing by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in recognition for the national advancement of Civil Rights. He has led research teams as a principal investigator and project director for numerous federal and private grants, supporting studies throughout the United States as well as various nations in Africa, South America, the Caribbean, and Europe.
“The Department of Linguistics couldn't be more thrilled to welcome John into our department,” said Nancy Niedzielski, associate professor and department chair of linguistics. “His areas of expertise will augment many of the strengths already in the department and bring exciting, new perspectives not only to our department, but to other departments around campus as well. John's academic record speaks for itself, as others have mentioned, but what may not be as apparent is his kindness, warmth, and collegiality. He will make us better in so many ways."
The Department of Linguistics is the home of an active community of scholars with a wide range of interests, offering a major that analyzes language as it relates to: social identities, diversity, and inequities; cognitive sciences and neuroscience; speech perception and vocal physiology; language history, evolution, and development; and the endangerment and revitalization of indigenous languages. Broadly defined, the department adopts a functional, usage-based approach to language and linguistic theory.