Speech Learning Toolkits

Lead Faculty: Hongchen Wu

This initiative applies technology, such as speech analysis software Praat, to develop accessible materials for language instructors and learners. Speech learning toolkits are developed so second language learners can pronounce words properly to have intelligible and comprehensible speech. Toolkits may include components such as tone, rhythm, intonation, prosody, accent and emotion. A website and user manual of the toolkits will be developed and tutorial sessions on how to use the toolkits will be offered.

Speaker Series

Contrastive Stylistics: Chinese/English

Dr. Yong Ho — former head of the Chinese language program at the United Nations

Stylistics is the part of language study that explores the connotative rather than the denotative level of a message. This talk will focus on salient contrasting features between English and Chinese.

Linguistics in Tech: Voice Assistant Technology

Dr. Vera Gor holds a Ph.D in Linguistics from Rutgers University. She currently works as a Linguist at Meta.

The talk will be about voice assistant technology and give a brief intro to experimental linguistics, experimental design, and its role in language technology.