Phd in LINGUISTICS

email: mariacarmela.benvenuto@uniroma1.it
phone: 06.49913806

Presentation
Maria Carmela Benvenuto is an Associate Professor of Historical and General Linguistics at La Sapienza University of Rome (ORCID 0000-0001-8288-6404). Her academic work is grounded in historical and comparative linguistics, with a strong focus on Indo-European and Iranian languages. She combines philological analysis with functional and cognitive approaches to language change, contributing to international debates on morphosyntax, case systems, and language contact as well as Iranian Linguistics.

A. Education and Degrees
• National Scientific Habilitation (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale) as Full Professor in Iranian Philology, Religions and History (SSD STAA-01/N), Italy (2026)
• National Scientific Habilitation (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale) as Full Professor in Historical and General Linguistics (SSD GLOT-01/A), Italy (2023)
• Ph.D. in Historical Linguistics and History of the Italian Language, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy (2004 Advisors: Palmira Cipriano and Marco Mancini)
• Laurea (Master’s equivalent) in Historical Linguistics, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy (1998 Advisors: Walter Belardi and Palmira Cipriano)
• Postgraduate training in linguistics, language pedagogy, and teacher education (SSIS and advanced specialization courses)

B. Positions Held
• Since 2020: Associate Professor of Historical and General Linguistics, Department of Letters and Modern Cultures, Sapienza University of Rome
• 2008–2020: Assistant Professor in Historical and General Linguistics, Sapienza University of Rome
• 2006–2008: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Sapienza University of Rome
• Lecturer in sociolinguistics, historical and general linguistics, and Iranian philology at several Italian academic institutions

C. Research Interests
• Historical and comparative Indo-European linguistics
• Iranian languages and philology (Old and Middle Iranian)
• Morphosyntactic change and case systems
• Expression of possession in ancient languages
• Cognitive and functional approaches to language change
• Historical sociolinguistics and language contact.