My research concentrates on exploring what natural language utterances mean and how their meaning is derived from the structural representation.

Within this broad research program, I am particularly interested in pursuing the question of how comprehensive empirical description and precise theoretical analysis of language data inform and enhance each other.

My current research projects include studying modal expressions and degree constructions in Chinese and exploring relevant theoretical implications. I also have a secondary research interest in the qualitative study of bilingualism and how certain bilingual phenomena may inform formal linguistic theory.

I teach both graduate-level and undergraduate-level Chinese linguistics courses, along with an undergraduate general education course in traditional Chinese culture.  

Below is a list of courses that I offer at OSU:

Chinese 2231: Traditional Chinese Culture (Undergraduate; offered once every year)
Chinese 4380: The Chinese Language (Undergraduate: offered every 2~3 years)
Chinese 4383: The Chinese Language and Its Script (Undergraduate: offered every 2~3 years)
Chinese 5387: Bilingualism in the Chinese Contexts (Undergraduate/Graduate; offered every 2~3 years)
Chinese 5389: Topics in the Chinese Language (Undergraduate/Graduate; offered occasionally)
Chinese 7384: Chinese Syntax (Graduate; offered every 2~3 years)
Chinese 7386: Chinese Semantics (Graduate; offered every 2~3 years)
Chinese 8384: Studies in Chinese Historical Syntax (Graduate: offered occasionally)
Chinese 8897: Department Seminar (Graduate; offered occasionally)
EALL 8870: Research Presentations in East Asian Languages and Literatures (Graduate; offered occasionally)

I advise undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students. I welcome graduate applicants who are interested in Chinese syntax, semantics, syntax-semantics interface, qualitative sociolinguistics, and bilingualism involving Chinese.