Teaching

My teaching aims to equip students with methods and concepts for describing linguistic diversity and understanding language in its social context. From the University of Hong Kong, I pursue this along three axes: field linguistics courses that take students to African and Asian countries for hands-on training; foundational and common core courses in sociolinguistics, language contact, linguistic diversity, and African studies; as well as guest professorships at institutions worldwide, particularly in Africa, South America, and the Caribbean, reflecting a commitment to East–West academic exchange. My postgraduate students work on language contact and the grammar of understudied languages of Africa and Asia.

1

Tense and aspect in Khatri, a trilingual contact language of India. Alvares, Antonia, PhD thesis, Linguistics, University of Hong Kong (ongoing).
2

Nasal vowel production in Chinese: a multimodal articulatory study. Chen, Changhe, PhD thesis, Linguistics, University of Hong Kong (ongoing).
3

Literacy development in Chinese people with autism spectrum condition. Deng, Wenxiyuan, PhD thesis, Linguistics, University of Hong Kong (ongoing).
4

Aspects of the grammar of Buli, a Gur language of northern Ghana. Adjong, Darius, PhD thesis, Linguistics, University of Hong Kong (2025).
5

Aspects of the grammar of Likpakpaln, a Mabia (Gur) language of Ghana. Bisilki, Abraham Kwesi, PhD thesis, Linguistics, University of Hong Kong (2022).
6

Investigating contact languages with agent-based modelling. Ching Yat, Lewis, MPhil thesis, Linguistics, University of Hong Kong (2022).
7

A description of the phonology and morphology of Sokoto Fula. Alkali, Abubakar Atiku, PhD thesis, Linguistics, University of Hong Kong (2018).
8

A descriptive grammar of the Pagu language of North Halmahera. Perangin-Angin, Dalan, PhD thesis, Linguistics, University of Hong Kong (2018).
9

Trinidad Bhojpuri: a study in language change and language death through morpho-syntactic analysis. De Silva, Jennifer, MPhil thesis, Linguistics, University of the West Indies (2016).
10

The neural basis for lexical tone perception. Kwok, Pui Yan Veronica, PhD thesis, Linguistics, University of Hong Kong (2016).
11

Neural systems of stuttering. Yang, Yang, PhD thesis, University of Hong Kong (2016).
12

Neurodevelopment of semantic systems in reading. Jia, Fanlu, PhD thesis, University of Hong Kong (2016).
13

Marketplace communication between Africans and Chinese in Guangzhou: an emerging pidgin?. Liu, Yucong, MPhil thesis, University of Hong Kong (2014).

Undergraduate
1

The Life and Death of Language (CCGL9024)

Addresses the impact of globalization, colonization, nation-statism, and bottom-up processes on linguistic diversity.
2

Globalization: African Experiences (CCGL9013)

Examines social, political, economic, and cultural dimensions of globalization from an African perspective.
3

Linguistics Field Trip (LING3003)

Introduces students to the art and science of collecting and analysing real-life language data during experiential learning trips.
4

Sociolinguistics (LING2056)

Explores the relationship between language and society, covering topics such as language variation, gender, language attitudes and ideologies.
5

Grammatical Description (LING2050)

Introduction to morphology and syntax in a cross-linguistic, basic linguistic theory perspective.
6

Languages in Contact (LING2040)

Examines linguistic and social aspects of language contact and change.
7

Introduction to Language (LING1000)

Introductory linguistics course covering the basics of language structure and linguistic theory.
8

Language, Thought and Culture (LING1003)

Co-taught introductory course focusing on the relationship between language structure, thought, and culture.
9

Extended Essay (LING3002)

Capstone for individual major students in preparation for postgraduate work.
Postgraduate
1

Grammar and Interaction (LING6019)

Explores links between language structures and cognitive processes.
2

Multilingualism (LING6031)

Explores multilingualism and language contact in multilingual speakers and societies.
3

Language Structure in Context (LING7014)

A holistic take on the African Caribbean English Creoles.
4

Current Issues in Linguistics (LING6029)

Supervised reading course for individual students, oral presentations, discussions, reports.
5

Capstone Dissertation (LING7999)

Capstone course for individual students, involving presentation on proposed topic, consultations, and supervised thesis of 30,000 words.
6

Research Methods in Linguistics (LING6001)

Overview of research methods in linguistics, including elicitation, recording, archiving, experiments and analysis.