Strand A. Formal Linguistic Theory, Data, and Empirical Methods

I investigate the structure of grammatical knowledge through the integration of formal linguistic theory, cross-linguistic data, and empirical methods. My research seeks to identify the abstract principles underlying human language, develop formally explicit models of grammar, and evaluate them using quantitative and experimental evidence.

1. Grammatical universals and variation. What abstract principles account for both cross-linguistic similarities and language-specific variation?

2. Formal models of grammar. How can these principles be represented in formally explicit grammatical theories, particularly at the interfaces of syntax, semantics, and discourse?

3. Comparative grammatical theory. How do different theoretical frameworks explain the same linguistic phenomena, and what are their respective strengths and limitations?

4. Theory and empirical evidence. How can corpus analyses, acceptability-judgment experiments, and statistical modelling be integrated to evaluate formal linguistic hypotheses and improve the robustness and reproducibility of linguistic research?

Strand B. Computational Grammar Engineering and Language AI

I investigate how formally explicit linguistic knowledge can be computationally implemented and applied to the development of language technologies. This research integrates knowledge-based grammar engineering with contemporary AI, exploring how linguistically informed computational models can both support and complement modern large language models (LLMs).

1. Computational implementation of linguistic theory. How can formally explicit, mathematically precise linguistic analyses be implemented as computer-processable grammars for large-scale parsing and generation?

2. Grammar-based language resources. How can computer-processable grammars be used to build richly annotated treebanks and other linguistic resources that support downstream natural language processing?

3. Knowledge-based grammar engineering in the age of LLMs. What role can explicit grammatical knowledge play alongside data-driven language models, and how can grammar engineering complement modern AI systems?

4. Linguistic foundations for language AI. How can insights from theoretical linguistics inform the development of more interpretable, reliable, and linguistically grounded LLMs?

Strand C.  Language Contact and Multilingual Acquisition

I investigate how language contact and multilingual experience shape language development. Using large-scale developmental corpora and cross-linguistic data, I examine the structural, cognitive, and social factors that influence multilingual acquisition.

1. Multilingual acquisition. What are the factors that shape language development in multilingual speakers through large-scale corpus analyses?