Grammar and Cognition

The CLS research group Grammar and Cognition aims to arrive at a better understanding of form (syntax) and meaning (semantics) in context (pragmatics). We investigate which factors guide hearers to the interpretation and speakers to the production of words, phrases and sentences. In our research, we combine theoretical linguistics with typology, empirical linguistics (experimental and corpus-based research), computational linguistics and literary studies.

Research projects

LM RojasBerscia and Dulcie Nanala cooking kangaroo tail

From Kukatja to Yingkutja?

This project aims at understanding the social meaning and communicative place of Yingkutja in the contemporary linguistic ecology of Balgo, drawing from previous fieldtrips, and techniques from modern sociolinguistics and communication studies.

Poster presentation Putting Discourse Particles in Perspective

Putting discourse particles in context

Dutch discourse particles (e.g. eigenlijk) are frequent and important in conversation. This project addresses the as of yet unanswered question how people with acquired communication disorders (ACD) use these important linguistic elements.

Group picture conference INAR 2023

Processing pronouns of address (ImPro)

In various languages, speakers have a choice between using a polite or informal pronoun when addressing others. This project focusses on the impact of the use of a polite or informal pronouns on the addressee.

Discover more research projects

News

Luis Miguel Rojas Berscia in Focus podcast series

Corentin Bourdeau defended his thesis

Looking Back at INAR 7

Cas Coopmans defended his thesis

Events

G&C Colloquium: Floris Cos

G&C Colloquium: Harriet Yates

Publications & Dissertations

Students

Research assistants

Our research assistants assist the G&C members with various tasks, such as preparing and testing for experiments, and organising data.

  • Dalí Chirino - dali.chirino [at] ru.nl (dali[dot]chirino[at]ru[dot]nl)

Interns

  • Kyra Kashigin - kyra.kashigin [at] ru.nl (kyra[dot]kashigin[at]ru[dot]nl)
  • Andreas Wölfle - andreas.woelfle [at] ru.nl (andreas[dot]woelfle[at]ru[dot]nl) 

Honours students

Honours students of the Faculty of Arts have the opportunity to train their research skills by conducting their own research project under the supervision of one or more senior researchers. The following students are currently undertaking research projects within Grammar and Cognition.

Amke Haak and Laura van Zanten

Amke and Laura are linguistics students. They will be researching so-called mirror constructions, in which the subject and finite verb are repeated. An example is "Wij gaan spiegelconstructies gaan wij onderzoeken". These constructions are completely absent from written language, but occur frequently in spoken language, where they often go unnoticed. Amke and Laura will research the function and occurrence of these mirror constructions.

Looking for a research project?

Grammar and Cognition welcomes students at all levels. Our honours, bachelor’s and master’s students have the opportunity to train their research skills by conducting their own research project under the supervision of our senior members.

Are you a Bachelor's or Master's student and looking for a research project in which to write your thesis? Contact us!

Theses

You can find many of our students's theses in the Radboud Educational Repository. 

Contact information

Visiting address
Erasmusplein 1
6525HT Nijmegen
Postal address
Postbus 9103
6500HD NIJMEGEN