Faculty
Dr. Yen-Hwei Lin
My research has focused on phonological representations and constraints in the theoretical context of Non-linear Phonology/Morphology and Optimality Theory, with particular interests in feature theory, moraic and syllabic structures, the phonology morphology interface, and phonetically-based phonology. More generally, I am also interested in sociolinguistics, phonetics, and cognitive science.
Most of my publications are articles and books on (i) Chinese phonology and phonetics, the segmental phonologies of various Chinese dialects, (ii) segmental features, moraic and syllabic structures, loanword phonology, and (iii) Piro (Arawakan) phonology and morphophonology.
My research has focused on phonological representations and constraints in the theoretical context of Non-linear Phonology/Morphology and Optimality Theory, with particular interests in feature theory, moraic and syllabic structures, the phonology morphology interface, and phonetically-based phonology. More generally, I am also interested in sociolinguistics, phonetics, and cognitive science.
Most of my publications are articles and books on (i) Chinese phonology and phonetics, the segmental phonologies of various Chinese dialects, (ii) segmental features, moraic and syllabic structures, loanword phonology, and (iii) Piro (Arawakan) phonology and morphophonology.
|
Dr. Karthik Durvasula
The central questions my research seeks to answer are related to the nature of phonological representations, especially phonological features, and the techniques linguists can use to probe them. Phonological research over the last 20 years or so has greatly benefited from its emphasis on experimental work, and in my more recent work, I have adopted this strategy by employing a variety of experimental techniques to get at questions related to speakers’ knowledge of phonological representations and generalizations. |
|
Dr. Silvina Bongiovanni
My research employs fine-tuned phonetic analysis to investigate variation in sound systems and connects these analyses to issues in sociolinguistics and second language acquisition. In my primary line of research, I examine within- and across-regional patters of variation in nasality, both in consonants and vowels. My dissertation work investigated anticipatory vowel nasalization and word-final nasal consonant weakening in two dialects of Spanish at different stages of sound change. I have also conducted experimental work examining the production and perception of near mergers (i.e. huraño 'unsociable' vs. uranio 'uranium'). In my L2 research, I have examined the impact of learning context (study abroad vs. at-home) on the development of the second language sound system and I am now looking at L2 production. |
Current Students
|
Naiyan Du (graduate student)
I am interested in developing technology that can help pick up singers and voice actors with distinguished sound-making abilities. I believe in order to achieve this goal, I need experimental skills to find among current successful voice artists what sound features and performance skills guarantee their success. And I need phonological and sociolinguistic knowledge to explain why these features and skills make sense in broad scientific and social scales. |
|
Mitchell Klein (graduate student)
I’m a first year PhD student at MSU. My academic/research interests include reduplication in South Asian Languages, especially Nepali. I have also taken an interest in Non-Derived Environment Effects as it pertains to American English, and The Phonology of Contrast, specifically as it pertains to my work with NDEB. |
|
Jason Smith (graduate student)
My research is primarily in phonetics and phonology. I am currently working on research related to vowel length and tone patterns in the Mende language, spoken in Sierra Leone and Liberia. I am also looking at consonant mutation in Mende - the pattern of mutation, its triggers, and the domain in which it occurs. |
|
Yongqing Ye (graduate student)
My research interests broadly include speech perception and sociolinguistics. I am currently working on the time course of individual's production and perception of nasalization. |
Yunting Gu (graduate student)
Monica Obiri-Yeboah (graduate student)
Cherilyn Wang (undergraduate student)
Monica Obiri-Yeboah (graduate student)
Cherilyn Wang (undergraduate student)
Alumni
Jillian Burger (BA, 2021; now an English language teacher in South Korea)
Bethany Dickerson (BA, 2017; now a graduate student at University of Massachusetts Amherst)
Cara (Danny) Feldscher (PhD, 2019; now anLanguage Researcher at Amazon)
Darby Grachek (MA, 2021; now a PhD student at the University of Southern California)
Maddie Hannon (BA, 2021; now an English language teacher in Spain)
Ho-Hsin Huang (PhD, 2020; now a coordinator and Assistant Professor of the Chinese Program at MSU)
Zachary Kernick (BA, 2017)
Qian Luo (PhD, 2018; now a Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London)
Monica Nesbitt (PhD, 2019; now an Assistant Professor at Indiana University)
Scott Nelson (BA/MA 2019; now a PhD student at Stony Brook University)
Mohammed Ruthan (PhD, 2020; now an Assistant Professor at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University)
Kaylin Smith (PhD, 2020; now anNLP/Language Engineer Intern, Principle Financial Group)
Sayako Uehara (PhD, 2019; now an Assistant Professor at University of Notre Dame)
Xiaomei Wang (PhD, 2020; now a Lecturer at Grand Valley State University)
Chenchen Xu (PhD, 2020)
Mingzhe Zheng (PhD 2017; now a Lecturer at University of California Berkeley)
Bethany Dickerson (BA, 2017; now a graduate student at University of Massachusetts Amherst)
Cara (Danny) Feldscher (PhD, 2019; now anLanguage Researcher at Amazon)
Darby Grachek (MA, 2021; now a PhD student at the University of Southern California)
Maddie Hannon (BA, 2021; now an English language teacher in Spain)
Ho-Hsin Huang (PhD, 2020; now a coordinator and Assistant Professor of the Chinese Program at MSU)
Zachary Kernick (BA, 2017)
Qian Luo (PhD, 2018; now a Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London)
Monica Nesbitt (PhD, 2019; now an Assistant Professor at Indiana University)
Scott Nelson (BA/MA 2019; now a PhD student at Stony Brook University)
Mohammed Ruthan (PhD, 2020; now an Assistant Professor at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University)
Kaylin Smith (PhD, 2020; now anNLP/Language Engineer Intern, Principle Financial Group)
Sayako Uehara (PhD, 2019; now an Assistant Professor at University of Notre Dame)
Xiaomei Wang (PhD, 2020; now a Lecturer at Grand Valley State University)
Chenchen Xu (PhD, 2020)
Mingzhe Zheng (PhD 2017; now a Lecturer at University of California Berkeley)
