Programme

Programme:


MONDAY 31/07

Morning session

Afternoon session


TUESDAY 01/08

Morning session

Afternoon session

Evening Social event


WEDNESDAY 02/08

Morning session

Afternoon session

Evening Social event


THURSDAY 03/08

Morning session

Afternoon session


FRIDAY 04/08

Morning session

Afternoon session


ABSTRACTS OF LECTURES

(listed in lecturers’ alphabetical order)

 

dr. Sara Andreetta: 


“Introduction to Experimental Linguistics” 

​​This lecture will serve as an introduction to experimental linguistics, by describing its main goals and methodologies. In particular, students will have an overview on: behavioral measures, studies based on neuroimaging techniques, experiments with healthy populations, and researches that include patients with language disorders. In this context then, there will be the opportunity to get to know some of the classical tests used in psycho-neurolinguistics and in clinical settings, as well as having a quick inspection of how an experiment is set up, a topic that will be then fully treated in other sessions of the day.


“Insights into Memory and Language research”

Throughout the history of humankind it has always been intuitive that some linguistic structures, such as those used in poems, can help information settle down in long term memory better than with prose. In every culture, indeed, we find such linguistic expressions: poems, songs, and counting-out rhymes have been transmitted for centuries without written support, but just relying on memory. 

This lecture will present a study at the interface between linguistics and neuroscience: the aim is to investigate the role played by meter devices in long term memory, by quantifying the role of each of them. Based on material of classical Italian poetry, it involved a sample of 48 native Italian speakers who were asked to learn some verses in the first phase of the study and then recall some words in a later phase. 

The session offers the opportunity to observe an experimental design starting from the research question,  material preparation, participants recruitment, analysis and conclusions. 

 

dr. Sorin Cazacu

 

“Using machine learning in subtitling”

Subtitling is today a fundamental element of audiovisual content localization which plays an instrumental role in making media accessible to diverse audiences. Traditional subtitling processes are labor-intensive and time-consuming, prompting the integration of Machine Learning (ML) techniques to optimize this domain. This module presents an in-depth exploration of the growing synergy between machine learning and subtitling, showcasing how ML algorithms and AI based tools have transformed and optimized the subtitling workflow.

 

“Interpreting in the age of AI”

In a continuously and rapidly changing globalized world, the demand for cross-cultural communication and the impact of new technologies have transformed the work of an interpreter. Through AI-powered tools such as speech recognition, the digital booth, and remote interpreting delivery platforms, interpreters can now deliver more accurate and efficient content. This module focuses on training participants to work with AI technologies in various settings, including conferences, meetings, and live events.


prof. Irina Cristea: 

 

“How is math used in linguistics?”

Mathematical Linguistics is a branch of Linguistics using different mathematical concepts and methods to study and analyze the structure, form and patterns of natural languages. The main mathematical background is algebra and logic and in particular set theory, operational structures (as groups, integral domains, lattices, Boolean and Heyting algebras), statement logic, predicate logic, model theory, graph theory, automata, to enumerate just the most relevant chapters.

This lecture is a brief excursion in the world of graph theory, where we will learn the basic concepts, the connections with matrix theory, that will be then applied in linguistics in the second session.

 

“Rhyme graphs”

In this session, we will observe an example of applications of graph theory in linguistics: starting from a very short poem, we will construct the rhyme graph, where the vertices are words and edges are observed rhymes.


dr. Ahmad Hosseini

 

“Statistical models”

In this course, we will explore some of the most fundamental General Linear Models (GLMs) that have a wide range of applications in various fields. GLMs provide a flexible framework for modeling a variety of data types, including continuous, binary, count, and categorical data, making them an essential tool for any data analyst. During the course, we will briefly cover some GLM models that have applications in diverse fields such as Psychology, Linguistics, Viticulture, Neuroscience, Economics, Biology, and beyond. We will review the basic concepts and tools in GLMs and will discuss how to choose the appropriate model for a given data type and how to interpret the model's output. This course will provide a hands-on learning experience, where you will have the opportunity to apply the concepts you learn to real-world datasets (using SPSS and Excel). We will go as long as time permits to cover as many topics as possible and ensure that you have a good understanding of GLM models and the skills to apply them to your own research projects.  


dr. Alessandro Linzi: 

“Language and Deduction”

​​Recently, some computer softwares, based on Large Language Models (LLMs), have gained visibility because of their ability to respond to inputs in ways that are similar to human reactions as never before. Morevoer, these softwares are able to improve their accuracy with experience and time. To which extent will these machines approximate human capabilities? Will it always be possible, at least in principle, to distinguish a human from a machine? If yes, then how?

In this lecture we will discuss the ideas at the core of LLMs and try to answer these questions using tools from the mathematical theory of formal logical deductions.

 

prof. Franc Marušič

 

“Acquisition studies of number and numeral concepts”

Children acquire grammatical number and numerals in a step-by-step manner bottom-up. We studied the interplay of the acquisition of grammatical number and the early numerals by comparing the acquisition of numerals between children growing up in two distinct linguistic environments, one which only differentiates between two grammatical numbers (singular-plural) and one which has 3 grammatical numbers (singular-dual-plural). Interestingly, being exposed to a more elaborate system of grammatical numbers seems to have helped children around the age of 2-3 to acquire numbers one and two. We will discuss what this means for our understanding of the acquisition of number concepts.


“Exploring extralinguistic properties influencing linguistic behavior”

Certain linguistic elements come in a fixed order even in languages with relatively free word-order. One such type of element are adjectives, which cross-linguistically follow a certain order. We will look at subset of this order and try to understand how this order can be derived. Many theories have been proposed, some purely formal, some suggest this order comes from various extralinguistic sources. We explore a hypothesis that the order of the adjectives for size, shape, and color comes from cognitive bias favoring distinction in color and shape over distinction in size.


dr. Claudiu-Ionuț Popîrlan

 

“Augmented reality and virtual reality applications”

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have emerged as groundbreaking technologies that revolutionize how users perceive and interact with the digital world. In this era of constant technological advancements, AR and VR have gained substantial traction across diverse industries, ranging from entertainment and gaming to education, healthcare, architecture, and beyond. 

We delve into the hardware and software components that power these immersive experiences, highlighting the advancements that have accelerated their adoption and accessibility and present our application: ARESA – Augmented Reality, Engineering and Smart Assistance: https://aresa.incesa.ro/  


prof. Cristina Popîrlan

 

“Mathematical and Computational Linguistics”

The lecture is centered around the examination of mathematical and computational models concerning the acquisition and evolution of natural languages. Various topics will be explored, including questions related to learnability, Markov chain models, population dynamics, evolutionary behavior, communicative efficiency, and fitness. Particular emphasis will be placed on the Principles and Parameters model of linguistics, alongside an exploration of the application of mathematical methods such as algebraic geometry, topology, and statistical physics to depict the evolution of natural languages.

Moreover, specific instances will be revisited, with a particular focus on analyzing them from both mathematical and computational standpoints.


dr. Irina Valentina Tudor

“Programming languages for experimental design”

In this course we will talk about the main aspects involving experimental design and we will discuss various programming languages used for this purpose. Experimental design and data analysis are used in various areas such as Economy, Psychology, Biology, Linguistics, Medical fields and many more. Beyond collecting the data involved in experiments, researchers have to be able to analyze it to its maximum potential and programming languages come in handy due to the useful tools they provide.