Here you can find my CV (last updated 09/2026).
My research interests:
Broad: Semantics, Pragmatics, Semantics-Pragmatics-Interface
Narrow: Adjectives, Adjective-Noun-Constructions, Context-Dependence, Linguistic Knowledge vs. World Knowledge
I work in formal semantics, and also at the semantics-pragmatics-interface.
I am interested in the relationship and the border between linguistic knowledge and world knowledge. To investigate this, In my current research I focus on the semantics of individual denoting nouns, in particular the relation of nouns and characteristic activities, and the question which individual denoting nouns have event arguments. I currently conduct a series of experiments on this topic together with Carla Spellerberg (UMass), where we take a meaning-based perspective and follow the hypothesis that not only deverbal nouns (e.g. dancer), but also certain non-deverbal nouns (e.g. ballerina) have an event argument. We use underdetermined adjectives such as skillful as a tool and "window" into the noun meaning.
In my PhD thesis, I worked on adjectival modification, focusing on compositionality and context dependence. In my thesis, I argue for a predicate analysis of adnominal adjectives. Please see the thesis section of this website to learn more about my thesis.
My research within the CRC NegLab at Goethe University Frankfurt comprised adjectival negation. In the first working package of the project, I focused on the semantics of (German) adjectives that must be negated by the prefix -un, such as unaufhörlich ('incessant')/*aufhörlich ('*cessant'). I investigated the role of the (mostly) verbal roots of these adjectives, the interaction of negation and modality contributed by the suffix -lich, and the historical development of these adjectives. This research involved extensive work with historical and present-day corpora of German. In the second working package, I focused on (German) negative polar adjectives that are negated by the prefix -un, such as untraurig ('unsad'). This research involved all aspects of experimental work (design, implementation, analysis).
During my B.A., I also studied forensic linguistics (e.g. the (in)comprehensibility of legal language and authorship identification).
Service and Organization:
Reviewing
For conferences: GLOW, Sinn & Bedeutung, Nothing But Negation
For journals: Natural Language & Linguistic Theory
Conference Organization
Member of the Organization and Scientific Committee of Sinn&Bedeutung 30 (held at Goethe University Frankfurt in September 2025)
Workshop Organization
“Approaches to NPIs and their licensing conditions – Anything new?”: 'Arbeitsgruppe' co-organized with Farbod Khouzani as part of the Annual Conference of the German Society for Linguistics (DGfS) held at Trier University in February 2026
Thesis Evaluations
Hagedorn, Ramona. Reference to kinds by German definite noun phrases. An empirical approach. MA Thesis, Goethe University Frankfurt, 2025.
Committees
Member of the Steering Committee of CRC NegLaB (until 08/2026)
Group Leading
Leading the Reading Group on R/Statistics @NegLaB (01/2025 - 08/2026)
Leading the AI Working Group @NegLaB (11/2025 - 08/2026)
Administrative tasks
Coordinator for the distribution of student advising requests within the Department of Linguistics at Goethe University (11/2024 – 10/2025)
Check out the Semantics Advent Calendar 2023!