Research

1. The division of labor between (morpho)syntax and semantics in complex predicates. Topics include:

   • The verbal domain

     • The semantics & syntax of (periphrastic/lexical) causatives

     • Argument interpretation contextualized by syntactically-oriented event structure

     • The syntax & semantics of implicit arguments and impersonal pronouns

   • The adjectival domain

     • The semantics of adjective classifiers as an understudied type of classifier, and their properties in parallel with nominal/numeral & verbal classifiers

     • The semantic variation of vague gradable adjectives contextualized by (morpho)syntax

2. A cognitive science–oriented interdisciplinary approach to theoretical linguistics (while I received some training in neuroscience experiments like fMRI during graduate school, I am currently more drawn to theoretical models than to experimental work; moreover, given my background in formal semantics, my interests currently incline toward philosophy). Topics include:

   • The comparison between different causal theories in explaining the complexity of causation encoded in natural languages

   • Strengthening the representational and explanatory capacity of Causal Models to enable more effective integration with empirically rich linguistic data

   • The elusive nature of agency encoded in natural languages & the properties of agentive diagnostics

   • Bridging the theoretical vs. experimental divide in the cognitive science study of language 

   • The combination of the Categorial Approach and Probability Theory in linguistic studies

3. The (mis)matching between (morpho)syntactic domain/ph(r)ase and phonological/prosodic/tone sandhi domain

   • Note: This project stems from my long-standing interest developed in my QP1 work on Teochew tone sandhi patterns. Although I haven’t had much time to pursue it recently, I’m always happy to discuss the topic and would be glad to restart the project when my schedule allows.

See Books & Papers and Presentations for research outputs. Here is my ORCID (though I don’t check it very often).

• My research primarily examines Asian languages, including Teochew (an understudied variety of Southern Min often described as a “living fossil of ancient Chinese”), Cantonese, Mandarin, and Thai (for why Thai is included here, I highly recommend this film, which essentially tells the story of my grandmother’s generation). I also value insights gained through cross-linguistic comparisons with languages from other families. 

• After joining BFSU as a faculty member, I learned that the university offers instruction in 101 languages, which, to my knowledge, is the highest number worldwide. In response to this exceptional linguistic resource, I have started developing an interest in typological linguistics to better engage with this resource and my formal linguistics background.

• I also acquired some foundational knowledge of (American) Sign Language(s) through coursework with Elissa Newport and Ted Supalla during my graduate studies. 

1. Collaborator |  Insight Grant of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada: The Argument Structure of Adjectives: A Cross-Linguistic Investigation of Category [注：加拿大国社科项目]; PI: Alison Biggs. | Ongoing

2. PI; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities: The Formal Semantic Analysis of Cross-Linguistic Causative Constructions [中央高校基本科研业务费专项资金资助项目《汉外对比视角下致使结构的形式语义学研究》] (Grant number: 2025ZZ027). | Ongoing

3. Member; Social Science Grant of the Ministry of Education, China:  The Comparative Study between Human Brain and Large Language Model on Syntactic Processing [教育部哲学社会科学研究后期资助项目《人脑与大语言模型句法加工的比较研究》] (Grant Number: 24JHQ046); PI: Fuzhen Si. | Ongoing

4. Member; National Social Science Fund of China:  The Construction and Study of a Multilingual Lexicon Database from a Probabilistic Co-selection Perspective [国家社科基金一般项目《概率语境共选视角下的多语外汉词典数据库建设与研究》] (Grant Number: 21BYY021); PI: Jiajin Xu. | Closing

5. PI; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities: Workshop on the Syntax-Semantics Interface:  A Formal Linguistics Perspective [中央高校基本科研业务费专项资金资助项目《形式句法-语义界面工作坊》] (Grant number: 2025LT014). | Closed

6. Member; Insight Development Grant of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada: The Grammar of Standards in Southern Min: Implications for the Role of Syntax in Contextual Vagueness Resolution [注：加拿大国社科项目] (Grant Number: 430-2023-00704); PI: Alison Biggs. | Closed

7. PI; GSAS-GradGov Research Project Grant for Ph.D. dissertation project, Georgetown University, U.S: Causality, Modality and Contextual Argument Interpretation. [注：美国乔治城大学校级项目] | Closed

8. PI; GradGov Professional Development Grant for Ph.D. dissertation project, Georgetown University, U.S: Causality, Modality and Contextual Argument Interpretation. [注：美国乔治城大学校级项目] | Closed

I occasionally host invited talks in formal syntax & semantics at my institution. For a full list, please see here.