Frank, Lihui Tan, our Ph.D. student has been awarded an NSF scholarship to attend the workshop.
This workshop explores how speakers balance abstract linguistic knowledge, enabling flexible generalization, with item-specific knowledge, facilitating efficient handling of familiar contexts, aiming to unify insights across domains and methods.
Key Points of the Workshops
Dual Knowledge: Speakers use abstract rules and experience-based specific knowledge.
Ongoing Debate: How these knowledge types interact and apply in language use is under debate.
Recent Advances: New experimental methods and computational models drive progress.
Interdisciplinary Focus: Integrates phonology, lexical semantics, syntax, and psycholinguistics using methods like:
Experimental linguistics (e.g., wug-tests)
Language acquisition
Morphological processing
Corpus data
Computational modeling
Workshop Format: Features a student poster session, invited talks, and panels on:
Evidence: Data on abstract vs. specific knowledge.
Modeling: Computational models of dual knowledge.
Learning: Simultaneous acquisition of both knowledge types.
Brain: Neural basis of storage and abstraction.
Evolution: Influence on language evolution and processing.
Goal of the Workshop
To develop a coherent, evidence-based understanding of abstract and item-specific knowledge in language.
Professor Do presents at the Media For All 2025 conference at the University of Hong Kong.
On May 30, 2025, Professor Do, our Lab Principal Investigator, delivered a compelling keynote at the Media For All 2025 conference at The University of Hong Kong. Titled “Empowering Cultural Preservation and Inclusivity Through Technology: Innovations in Hong Kong Sign Language”, the address showcased our lab’s pioneering efforts to preserve Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL) and promote inclusivity for the Deaf community.
Preserving HKSL’s Cultural Heritage
Our research focuses on safeguarding the linguistic and cultural richness of HKSL. Through meticulous documentation and archiving of HKSL signs, narratives, and dialogues, we are building a lasting repository to ensure this vital aspect of Hong Kong’s heritage endures. These efforts provide a foundation for cultural preservation, enabling future generations to engage with and learn from the Deaf community’s unique linguistic identity.
Breakthroughs in Sign Language Technology
Central to our work is an innovative HKSL handshape detection model, which leverages advanced machine learning to enhance the accuracy and speed of sign language recognition. This technology marks a significant leap forward in interpreting HKSL, enabling seamless communication. Key applications include:
A comprehensive HKSL curriculum designed for hearing learners, making the language accessible to a broader audience and fostering cross-community understanding.
Practical tools, such as real-time sign language interpretation for paramedic services, ensuring effective communication during emergencies, and art exhibition accessibility, enriching cultural participation for Deaf individuals.
Building Bridges Between Communities
Our work goes beyond technology—it’s about building unity. By developing tools that facilitate communication, we aim to create a deeper connection between the Deaf and hearing communities. These efforts promote a society that celebrates diversity, embraces cultural heritage, and ensures inclusivity for all.
Professor Do’s keynote resonated with attendees, sparking conversations about the role of technology in social good. The Media For All 2025 conference provided an ideal platform to share our vision, and we’re excited to continue this journey toward a more inclusive future.
Looking Ahead
The advancements shared in the keynote are just the beginning. Our team remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries of HKSL research and its applications. We invite collaborators, community partners, and stakeholders to join us in this mission to preserve HKSL and empower the Deaf community.
For more information about our work or to explore potential partnerships, please contact our lab through the Knowledge Exchange Office at The University of Hong Kong. Together, we can create a more inclusive and culturally rich society.
Professor Do presents at the Media For All 2025 conference at the University of Hong Kong.Professor Do presents at the Media For All 2025 conference at the University of Hong Kong.Professor Do presents at the Media For All 2025 conference at the University of Hong Kong.
We are pleased to announce the publication of a new paper by Arthur, Thomas (joint first authors), Aaron, and Youngah in the journal Cognitive Linguistics.
The paper, titled “Iconic hand gestures from ideophones exhibit stability and emergent phonological properties: an iterated learning study,” explores the stability and phonological properties of iconic hand gestures associated with ideophones. Ideophones are marked words that depict sensory imagery and are usually considered iconic by native speakers. The study investigates how these gestures are transmitted across generations using a linear iterated learning paradigm.
The findings reveal that despite noise in the visual signal, participants’ hand gestures converged, indicating the emergence of phonological targets. Handshape configurations over time exhibited finger coordination reminiscent of unmarked handshapes observed in phonological inventories of signed languages. Well-replicated gestures were correlated with well-guessed ideophones from a spoken language study, highlighting the complementary nature of the visual and spoken modalities in formulating mental representations.
Thompson, A. L., Van Hoey, T., Chik, A. W. C., & Do, Y. (2025). Iconic hand gestures from ideophones exhibit stability and emergent phonological properties: An iterated learning study. Cognitive Linguistics. open_in_newDOI
We are pleased to announce the publication of a new paper by Samuel, Xiaoyu, Thomas, Bingzi, and Youngah. The paper, titled “Bilinguals’ Advantages in Executive Function: Learning Phonotactics and Alternation,” has been published in Second Language Research.
This study investigates the relationship between phonotactics and alternation in phonological acquisition and explores whether bilingual speakers have an advantage in learning alternation patterns that are not fully supported by phonotactics. Phonotactics refers to the legal sequences and structures within a language’s phonology, while alternation involves context-sensitive changes in morphemes. The research predicts that bilinguals, due to their enhanced executive function and multitasking abilities, will outperform monolinguals in handling multiple independent phonological pattern learning tasks simultaneously.
The findings reveal that bilingual participants successfully learned alternation patterns regardless of their consistency with stem-internal phonotactic patterns. In contrast, monolinguals only acquired alternation patterns with full phonotactic support. This suggests that bilingualism may confer advantages in managing phonotactics and alternation learning tasks simultaneously.
Sze, S. L., Yu, X., Van Hoey, T., Yu, B., & Do, Y. (2025). Bilinguals’ advantages in executive function: learning phonotactics and alternation. Second Language Research. open_in_new DOI
We are delighted to announce that the paper “Learners’ generalization of alternation patterns from ambiguous data,” presented at the Annual Meeting on Phonology 2024 (AMP2024), has been published in the conference proceedings. This paper is authored by Bingzi (former member of LDL and current PhD candidate at MIT), Ivy, and Youngah.
The published paper investigates how learners generalize phonological alternation patterns when faced with ambiguous data. It explores whether learners prefer simple or complex rules in their generalizations, shedding light on the biases and mechanisms underlying phonological learning.
The findings indicate that learners tend to favor simpler generalizations, contributing to our understanding of phonological acquisition and cognitive processes involved in language learning. This research represents a significant advancement in the study of phonological learning.
Yu, B., Zheng, S., & Do, Y. (2025). Learners’ Generalization of Alternation Patterns from Ambiguous Data. Proceedings of the Annual Meetings on Phonology, 1(1), Article 1. open_in_newDOI
We are pleased to announce that Xiaoyu and Youngah’s paper, “Preference for Distinct Variants in Learning Sound Correspondences During Dialect Acquisition,” has been published in the journal Language and Speech.
This research delves into how learners acquire sound correspondences (SCs) in second dialect acquisition. SCs occur when sounds occupy corresponding positions in cognate words of related languages or dialects. While SCs can consist of both similar and distinct variants, the impact of this similarity on learning has been understudied.
In their study, Xiaoyu and Youngah investigated whether the degree of similarity between dialect variants affects SC learning. They employed an artificial language learning experiment where participants learned SCs between Standard Mandarin and “artificial dialects,” using a set of carefully controlled sound contrasts. The degree of similarity between the variants was evaluated using multiple measures, including phonetic and phonological metrics validated by typological evidence.
The findings revealed that while similarity did not impact the learning of simple one-to-one SCs, learners showed a preference for more distinct variants when the SC mapping structure was more complex (i.e., two-to-one or one-to-two mappings). This preference, however, only emerged when the dissimilarity between the variants was sufficiently large to cross a certain threshold.
This study demonstrates that although learners initially display a general lack of sensitivity to similarity differences, a preference for distinct variants emerges when SC mapping structures become more complex and the dissimilarity between variants reaches a critical level. This suggests that when acquiring complex SC patterns, learners seek out more salient cues, leading to an improved ability to differentiate between distinct variants.
Yu, X., & Do, Y. (2025). Preference for Distinct Variants in Learning Sound Correspondences During Dialect Acquisition. Language and Speech. open_in_newDOI
We are pleased to announce the publication of a review article by Ivy and Youngah, in Language and Linguistics Compass. The article, titled “Substantive Bias in Artificial Phonology Learning,” provides a comprehensive review of the research on substantive bias in phonological learning since the influential 2012 paper by Moreton and Pater.
The review categorizes studies into vowel, consonant, and suprasegmental patterns, highlighting advancements in experimental paradigms, the definition of phonetic naturalness, and the exploration of various phonological phenomena. It emphasizes how subtle methodological choices in experimental designs can affect the results of substantive bias.
Key findings from the review include:
Vowel Patterns: Studies on vowel harmony have consistently developed more sophisticated paradigms, highlighting the role of naturalness in learning. The review showed how different training parameters (variable input, iterative learning) influence the effect of substantive bias.
Consonant Patterns: Research in this domain has explored various phonological phenomena, including nasalization, voicing, and saltatory alternations, suggesting the importance of considering phonetic precursor strength and the roles of articulatory and perceptual factors when assessing substantive bias effects.
Suprasegmental Patterns: Studies on tone and stress patterns have consistently shown a positive effect of substantive bias, differing from segmental patterns. The review suggests that these differences might be related to the learnability of the phonological patterns.
Based on their review, Ivy and Youngah suggest that future research should include:
An examination of the articulatory and perceptual foundations of each phonological pattern
An analysis of the similarities in features, articulation, and perception
The paper not only summarizes current findings but also provides important guidance for future research in phonological learning, particularly in the area of substantive bias.
Zheng, S., & Do, Y. (2025). Substantive Bias in Artificial Phonology Learning. Language and Linguistics Compass, 19(1), e70005. open_in_newDOI
Our Hong Kong Sign Language was covered in the November issue of HKU Bulletin. Read more here:
Kathy, G., & Teri, F. (2024, November). A voice for the deaf. (W. Ho, T. Leung, N. Yu, K. Au, & S. Leung, Eds.) The University of Hong Kong Bulletin, 26(1), 40–41. Retrieved 2024, from https://www4.hku.hk/pubunit/Bulletin/ebook_2024Nov(26.1)/40-41/.
Ivy, together with Bingzi (left), presents at AMP2024 at Rutgers University.
Ivy recently presented at the Annual Meeting on Phonology 2024 (AMP2024), held from November 1-3 at Rutgers University, on the paper “Learners’ generalization of alternation patterns from ambiguous data”. The paper, written by Bingzi, Ivy and Yonugah, explored the intriguing question of how language learners generalize patterns from ambiguous linguistic data.
The research focuses on the acquisition of alternation patterns, a type of phonological process that involves changes in sound patterns across different word forms. By examining how learners handle ambiguous data, the study sheds light on the cognitive mechanisms underlying phonological learning.
The study highlighted the complex interplay between simplicity and complexity in language acquisition. While learners tend to favor simpler generalizations, they are also capable of acquiring more intricate patterns under specific conditions.
This research has significant implications for our understanding of language development, particularly in the realm of phonology. It contributes to ongoing debates about the role of simplicity and complexity in shaping linguistic knowledge.
