Biography
Zach grew up in a rural Missouri town about an hour west of St. Louis. He moved to Champaign in 2024 to study French Linguistics. He is interested in studying endangered French dialects in the United States, in addition to regional languages of France like Norman and Poitevin. His particular focus at this moment is the endangered dialect his great-grandparents spoke as their first language, Paw Paw French, also known as Missouri and Illinois Country French. His other interests include Franco-American history, literature, culture, music, and folklore. He will return from study abroad next fall.
Research Interests
Historical Linguistics
Missouri French
Linguistic Anthropology
Franco-American Culture & Literature
Heritage Speakers
Language Endangerment & Death
Linguistic Minorities, Diaspora & Migration
Education
MA: French Applied Linguistics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (expected 2027)
BA: Romance Languages, emphasis in French, University of Missouri-Columbia (2024)
BA: International Studies, emphasis in International Business, University of Missouri-Columbia (2024)
BSBA: Business Administration, emphasis in Management, University of Missouri-Columbia (2024)
Grants
Diffenbaugh Fellowship 2024-2025
Courses Taught
French 101, Section F, Fall 2024
French 101, Section B, Spring 2025