PhD in Linguistics, University of Antwerp, 1988.
Habilitation, University of Antwerp, 1994.
1983-2000 pre- and postdoctoral researcher in General Linguistics at the University of Antwerp (employed by the Belgian National Science Fund and the University of Antwerp).
Since October 2000 Professor of Dutch and General Linguistics at the University of Antwerp.
Visiting positions at:
- Universität Salzburg, Institut für Sprachwissenschaft, 1981-1982.
- Universiteit van Amsterdam, Instituut voor Algemene Taalwetenschap, 1982-1983.
- University of California at Berkeley, Institute of Cognitive Studies (Fulbright Fellow), 1989.
- University of California at Berkeley, Department of Linguistics (Research Associate), summer 1991.
- Universität Heidelberg, Psychologisches Institut, Sonderforschungsbereich ‘Sprache und Situation’ (Alexander von Humboldt-Stipendiat), 1995-1996.
- Max-Planck Institut für Psycholinguistik in Nijmegen (Research Fellow and from 1995 onwards Research Associate), 1993-2000.
Editorial functions include:
- Member Board of Advisory Editors, Journal of Pragmatics (1990-2023).
- Member Board of Consulting Editors, Pragmatics and Cognition (1992-).
- Member Advisory Board, Functions of Language (1992-2016).
- Member Board of Advisory Editors, Review of Cognitive Linguistics (2001-).
- Member Advisory Board, Jezikoslovlje - Linguistics (2002-).
- Member Board of Advisory Editors, Intercultural Pragmatics (2003-2014).
- Member Editorial Board, book series Discussions in functional approaches to language (Equinox; 2007-).
- Member Editorial Board, Revista Electrónica de Lingüística Aplicada (2008-).
- Member Editorial Board, Cognitive Linguistic Studies (2013-).
Main or co-organizer of:
- 2nd International Conference on Functional Grammar, Antwerp, 1986.
- International Pragmatics Conference, Antwerp, 1987.
- 5th International Conference on Functional Grammar, Antwerp, 1992.
- International conference on The relationship between linguistic and conceptual representation, Antwerp, 1992.
- International and interdisciplinary lecture series on Mind and Matter, Antwerp, 1999-2000.
- International conference on Cognitive typology, Antwerp, 2000.
- Panel on Where functionalist and cognitive grammar models meet, 7th International Pragmatics Conference, Budapest, 2000.
- Theme session on Comparing functional and cognitive models of grammar, 8th International Cognitive Linguistics Conference, Logroño, 2003.
- Workshop on Conditional and unconditional modality, 15th European Summer School in Logic, Language and Information, Wien, 2003.
- Workshop on Grammaticalization and (inter)subjectification, Antwerp, 2007.
- International Conference on Grammaticalization and (inter)subjectification, Brussels, 2010.
- Workshop on What is egophoricity in Tibetic, and beyond?, Annual Conference of the Societas Linguistica Europaea, Helsinki, 2024.
Elected Member of the Belgian Royal Academy of Dutch Language and Literature