Forschung

Current research interests and projects

Quotation and the lexicon-pragmatics interface

My current research examines mechanisms of quotation when used as a device to point to linguistic shapes. In particular, I am interested in how quotation is employed to display the name of a lexicalized concept (e.g., Blood poisoning is also called "septicemia"), how this is encoded linguistically as well as in the semantic and pragmatic factors determining the interpretation. This also includes non-literal, ironic readings of quoted expressions.

Crosslinguistic differences in event conceptualization

I am also interested in how we conceptualize events and, in particular, if linguistic features in this domain like, for example, a grammaticized aspectual system or the dominant lexicalization pattern used for motion events in a language have an impact on conceptualization. This also includes aspects of second language acquisition.

Other

Further research interests of mine center around interface questions concerning word-formation and naming at the boundary between morphology and syntax, verb argument structure, the order of multiple adjectives, and also the construction of gender through language.