About

Dr. Daria Bahtina is a Continuing Lecturer in the Department of Linguistics at UCLA. Her teaching spans Linguistics as well as Anthropology, Communication, and Sociology, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to the study of language and social life. Her research interests include sociolinguistics, multilingualism, language and identity, the perception and expression of social categories, metacommunicative strategies, common ground, experimental linguistics, and research design.

She is particularly passionate about mentoring undergraduate researchers and supporting student-led scholarship. She believes that students should have the opportunity to investigate questions that matter to them and contribute new knowledge to the communities of which they are a part.  Her contributions to undergraduate mentorship have been recognized with UCLA’s Faculty Mentor Award (2024), a distinction based entirely on nominations from undergraduate students in recognition of exceptional mentorship and support for their research and professional development. She is also the recipient of UCLA’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Undergraduate Mentorship (2026), UCLA’s highest recognition for teaching excellence, awarded in recognition of outstanding mentorship of undergraduate students and a commitment to inclusive excellence.

Dr. Bahtina is also committed to making linguistic research accessible beyond the university. She believes that knowledge should not remain confined to academic journals and works to bridge research and public understanding through media engagement, public outreach, and the dissemination of student research. By examining common language myths and explaining how language works in everyday life, she aims to foster evidence-based conversations about linguistic diversity, identity, and social interaction.

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