- Studies of German Language and Literature and Anglistics (final degree 1980); PhD (Dr. Phil) (1986) and Habilitation (1995) as Research Fellow at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich; Senior Assistant at the same place (1995-1997)
- Professor in German Linguistics at the University of Stuttgart (1997-1998)
- Professor in German Linguistics at the University of Cologne (since 1998)