Weihua Zhu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Asian Languages & Cultures. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Florida. She is an expert in discourse analysis, Chinese pragmatics, language pedagogy and English as a Multilingua Franca. Her current research interests include Interactional features of Mandarin Chinese speakers in natural conversation, speech behavior and pragmatic perception and teaching Chinese as a foreign language.
A word from John Dunne, Chair of Asian Languages and Cultures Department:
The Department of Asian Languages & Cultures is delighted to offer its congratulations to Dr. Weihua Zhu for her promotion to Associate Professor. Dr. Zhu’s fascinating work on Chinese linguistics explores the way that the rigors of pragmatics and discourse analysis can be brought to bear on the often subtle distinctions involved in the contexts of politeness, disagreement, and social relations in Chinese language conversations. Her emphasis on understanding language in its natural environments carries over to her emphasis on student-centered learning in the classroom, where her groundbreaking research leads to innovative approaches that her students clearly appreciate. Thanks, Weihua, for your contributions to ALC!