Joy Fu
Please provide a brief summary of your research.
Past research in syntax has shown that a phenomenon called “grammatical illusion” exists in English. “Grammatical illusion” happens when native speakers of a language erroneously accept ungrammatical sentences. For example, in “The key to the boxes are on the table” (Bock & Miller, 1991), the plural noun, boxes, makes readers erroneously accept this sentence. More specifially, researchers have found grammatical illusions in English “locative constructions,” which refer to sentences like “Mary put chocolates in a container” or “I poured water into the cup” (Kim & Yoshida, 2016). So far, there has been no related research in Mandarin Chinese. In my research, I aim to answer the following questions though studying Chinese locative constructions: Do grammatical illusions exist in Mandarin, or is the phenomenon only observed in English? If it does, in which environments are such illusions most prevalent?
What made you initially interested in researching your project in particular?
Before Winter 2022, I had never thought that I would pursue research in syntax. Although I was already a Linguistics major interested in human language at the time, the connection between language and social factors (sociolinguistics) excited me the most. In Winter 2022, I took Prof. Masaya Yoshida’s class on syntax. Hoping to understand the relationship between syntax and sociolinguistics, I went to Masaya’s office hours. Little did I know, our discussions opened a new world for me: As a bilingual speaker, how does my Chinese syntax affect my English? How can Chinese and English syntax be similar in unexpected ways? These questions motivated my research questions for this project and drives me to fill the gap in the field of Chinese syntax research.
What made you interested in pursuing (interdisciplinary) research more broadly?
Research has always been a way to fulfill my curiosity, intellectual or not. It also enables me to explore different facets of my identity in a systematic way. For example, I enjoy watching New Wave films, and I’m also interested in diverse Chinese dialects. Last year, I was able to combine these two interests of mine in my research project “The Use of Languages in Taiwan New Cinema.” I was able to watch as many Taiwanese films as I wanted and learn more about how history affected language manifested in the films. Research allows me to dive deeply into my passions, and that’s why research has also become one of my passions.
Describe your experiences with research thus far. Was it tricky? What skills do you think you’ve gained?
Research is definitely not a linear process. The most important skill I’ve gained through research is the ability to adapt to new challenges that might come up. For example, this summer, I found out that there was barely any literature related to Chinese locative verbs, so I went ahead and constructed thousands of sentences on my own. In the data collection process, because there are less Mandarin native speakers in the U.S., recruiting participants was very tricky. I learned that patience is key, and that it’s always important to trust the process.
Any tips or advice you have for students similar to you that are interested in pursuing undergraduate research?
Talk to your professors and go to office hours! You never know if you’ll find out about a topic that interests you.
What is your most useless talent?
I can taste how fresh a cooked shrimp is (how long it has died)