Alena Podhorná-Polická

Masaryk University

Alena Podhorná-Polická is an Associate Professor of French Linguistics at the Institute of Romance Languages and Literatures, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University. She specializes in lexical innovation and adolescent speech practices, examining how new words circulate within youth sociolects and reflect linguistic creativity, identity, and belonging. Her work situates French within broader sociolinguistic and intercultural frameworks. She is a member and Czech Regional Representative of the EHHSN. She organized the 6th EHHSN meeting in 2023 in Brno (Czechia) and collaborated on several Hip Hop studies, scholar events and publications. As a member of the European Hip Hop Pedagogy Project, she explores the didactic potential of hip-hop culture and rap lyrics as tools for language learning, social engagement, and critical reflection, bridging linguistic research and educational innovation.