Univ.-Prof. Dr. Richard J. Alexander

Full Professor
Phone: ++43-1-31336-4718  |  Richard.Alexander@wu.ac.at
Office: B.5.16 UZA IV

Professor Alexander has been Full Professor of English for economics and business at our Institute since 1994. He was born in Leicester, England, and has an MA in modern languages and linguistics from Cambridge University as well as a degree in economics from the University of London. He also has qualifications in English as a Foreign Language from the Institute of Education, London University.

He has taught and researched English as a foreign language, business English and linguistics for over forty years at several colleges and universities around Europe, first in Valkeakoski, Finland, then Milan, Italy. He has held academic appointments at German universities and colleges in Aachen, Bremen, Oldenburg, Marburg, Osnabrück and Trier. In the 1980s he worked at the University of Birmingham, UK. He has published widely in European journals on lexis, phraseology, verbal humour, business English, language and ecology and applied linguistics.

His main professional interests include textbook writing. He is the co-author of a textbook for adult learners, On The Way, published by Ernst Klett, Stuttgart (1982-84) and co-author with Leo Jones of New International Business English Cambridge University Press (1988, 2000 and 2003). His publications include three monographs: Elements of a Theory of Second Language Learning (1979), Aspects of Verbal Humour in English (1997) and Framing Discourse on the Environment. A Critical Discourse Approach (2008, New York, Routledge). His current academic research is concerned with the lexis and phraseology of economics and business English, using corpus linguistic techniques, the global spread of English, the relation between language and ecology and the learning and teaching of business English.

Professor Alexander's Para CV
Professor Alexander's Publications
Professor Alexander's conference papers and lectures
Book reviews by Professor Alexander

Professor Alexander's favourite pictures

Professor Alexander currently gives lectures on:

• Globalizing or International Business and Economics? English Language Focus (GIBE) (EBC4)

• Focus on international issues concerning English, the environment and economics (ICETEA) (Spezialgebiet I, EBC4)

• British Business in an Advanced English Language Focus (Britbus)
(Spezialgebiet II)