Ina grew up in Potchefstroom, a university town in South Africa, where she completed her MA in English. Her doctoral thesis in Stylistics was supervised by Geoffrey Leech at Lancaster University, England.
She taught for several years at UNISA in linguistics, literary theory and stylistics. She has been a lecturer in the Department of English language and literatures at UBC in the structure of Modern English (including phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and discourse), the early and later history of English, grammar and usage, stylistics, sociolinguistics and academic and technical writing. Her teaching experience further includes teaching both language and literature as a sessional lecturer at St. Mark’s College, TWU, KPU and UFV.
Her research interests are the analysis and interpretation of literary and non-literary texts across various eras and styles, with an abiding interest in the work of Gerard Manley Hopkins.
Her teaching approach depends on the assumption that a thorough understanding of the structure of the English language and of the ways in which we use language to communicate in different contexts makes for more effective future educators. It also enhances our capacity to function as discerning and compassionate members of society in our time. Since promoting in others a love for the study of language is her vocation, Ina is excited to teach at St. Mark’s where she hopes to contribute to students’ academic preparation for their future careers.
Education
DLitt et Phil (UNISA)
Supervisor: Geoffrey N. Leech, University of Lancaster, United Kingdom
Co-supervisor: Ina Gräbe, University of South Africa (UNISA) (1991) Thesis: A study of the language of the sonnets of Gerard Manley Hopkins, with special reference to sound patterns .
MA English (Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education)
Dissertation: A linguistic analysis of certain poems by T. S. Eliot. (1981)
Previous Appointments
UBC, Department of English Language and Literatures, Lecturer (2013-2021) ; Sessional lecturer (2021-current)
Professional Societies
PALA (Poetics and Linguistics Association)
Publications
Biermann, Ina & Luna Bergh (2022) Stilistiek, in Carstens, W.A.M. & T.J. van Dyk, eds. (2022) Toegepaste Taalkunde in Afrikaans. (“Applied Linguistics in Afrikaans”.) J.L. van Schaik, pp. 657-680.
Biermann, Ina & Annette Combrink (eds.) (2001) Poetics, Linguistics and History: Discourses of War and Conflict: Proceedings of the 19th PALA Conference. PU for CHE: Potchefstroom.
Biermann, Ina & Sekepe Matjila (2001) Sound repetition as metaphor marker in “Aferika” by L.D. Raditladi, in Biermann, Ina & Annette Combrink (eds.) (2001) Poetics, Linguistics and History: Discourses of War and Conflict: Proceedings of the 19th PALA Conference. PU for CHE: Potchefstroom, pp. 626-642.
Biermann, Ina & Hilton Hubbard (guest eds.) (1999) Introduction. Journal of Literary Studies/Tydskrif vir Literatuurwetenskap 15(3 4) Special double issue on Stylistics. R.
Biermann, Ina (1999) Sound repetition as characterisation technique in Salman Rushdie’s The Moor’s Last Sigh, in Journal of Literary Studies / Tydskrif vir Literatuurwetenskap 15(3 4): 324-354. R. Available online at http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02564719908530235
Biermann, Ina (1995) When metaphor counts: review article of Understanding Metaphor by Gerard Steen, in Language and Literature 6(1):57 68, February. R.
Biermann, Ina (1993) Intertextuality as parallelism in two South African poems. Language and Literature 2(3):197 220. R.
Biermann, Ina (1992) “Die spookreël”(“the ghost line”) pp. 501 2; “die strofe” (“the stanza”) pp. 508 10; “die versreël”(“the line”) pp. 556 60, in Cloete, T.T. (ed.) Literêre Terme en Teorieë. Haum Literêr: Pretoria.
Biermann, Ina (1988) Sound in poetry: the role of phonetics in the study of poetic language as exemplified in the study of a sonnet by Gerard Manley Hopkins. SA Journal of Linguistics 6(3):15 29. R.
Biermann, Ina (1984) “Greeks Today” (English translation of the poem “Grieke vandag” by T.T. Cloete) Tydskrif vir Letterkunde NR22(3):3. R.
Pretorius, W.G.J. (1980) A Christian approach to literary criticism Koers 45(4): 285-294. R.