Learning tonal vs. segmental patterns
Artificial language learning experiments on tone–segment complexity asymmetries. Joint work with Dr. Micha Elsner and Dr. Becca Morley.
Are tonal patterns learned the same way as segmental ones? This project uses artificial language learning experiments to compare how learners acquire tonal and consonantal patterns of differing computational complexity, including local and long-distance dependencies.
Status: pilot complete; main data collection in progress. Results from the pilot and the data collected so far will be presented as an oral talk at AMP 2026 (University of Maryland, October 2026).