The Ordre des Palmes Académiques was established by Napoleon in 1808 and is one of the oldest civil honours bestowed by the French Republic. Professor Carruthers was awarded the honour for services to French Culture.

Janice Carruthers is Professor of French Linguistics in the School of Arts, English and Languages, and Dean of Research within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Queen’s. Her research focuses on the structure and evolution of the French language and on language and identity in France, including questions relating to language policy.

She was Priority Area Leadership Fellow for Modern Languages with the Arts and Humanities Research Council from 2017 to 2021 and a member of the authorship team of ‘Towards a National Languages Strategy for the UK: Education and Skills’.

Speaking on her recognition, Professor Carruthers said: “I am deeply honoured to receive the Palmes Académiques. It means a great deal to me to be recognised by the French government, since the French language has been at the centre of my research and teaching for over 30 years.”

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