Hi! I’m a 5th-year linguistics PhD candidate at Rutgers University. I’m primarily interested in syntax and semantics. I am currently working on topics related to definites, demonstratives, and focus for my dissertation. In the past, I have also worked on the syntax of Mandarin sluicing constructions and the syntax and semantics of the so-called quasi-names.

Publications

Under revision for resubmission, A compositional semantics of quasi-names and titles.

Quasi-names are, at face value, common nouns that are used like names, like Mom in Mom will pick us up at 6.
I argue, contra recent literature, that quasi-names are not simply personal names that happen to sound like certain common nouns.
I propose instead that quasi-names have an additional element in their structure compared to personal names, which I dub the name-fier, that takes common nouns and turn them into names.
I also propose that titles like Mr and Mrs are overt manifestations of the name-fier.

In prep, Definite markings in vocatives: A unified argument saturation approach (co-authored with Ariela Ye). Ms. Rutgers University.

To appear, Focusing uniqueness: the interpretation of stressed the. Proceedings of the 50th Annual Penn Linguistics Conference. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania.

To appear, On overt and covert definite marking in vocatives: selecting vs. non-selecting calls (co-authored with Ariela Ye). Proceedings of the 56th Annual Meeting of the North East Linguistics Society. New York City, NJ: New York University.

The is generally infelicitous in vocatives: *Hey, the kid! That’s my seat!
Interestingly, the becomes felicitous in the presence of modification: Hey, the kid in the blue shirt! That’s my seat!
We propose that vocatives (that are calls) are underlying definite descriptions that take two arguments, one an NP and the other either an index or a restrictive modifier (such as PPs or relative clauses).
We additionally propose that when a vocative definite takes a null you as its second argument, the becomes covert. When it takes a modifier as its second argument, the stays overt.

To appear, Where does anti-uniqueness come from? A case study of English demonstratives. In E. McCready, D. Bekki & K. Mineshima (eds.), ****Proceedings of LENLS21. Volume in Lecture Notes in Computer Science series. Springer. https://lenls.github.io/lenls21/. (Peer-reviewed for revisions.)

Demonstratives in English are often argued to encode an anti-uniqueness requirement, such that that sun requires there to exist multiple suns.
I argue against this requirement and argue that it is instead derived from focus.
The main motivation is that anti-uniqueness arises only when the demonstrative article or a modifier of the demonstrative is prosodically stressed.
I argue that anti-uniqueness follows from the assumptions that focus alternatives are both contextually restricted and form a non-singleton set (cf. Rooth 1992).

2025, A compositional semantics of quasi-names and titles. Proceedings of SICOGG 27. https://sites.google.com/view/sicogg27/proceedings?authuser=0.

2025, The distribution of definite markings in vocatives (co-authored with Ariela Ye). ****Proceedings of SICOGG 27. https://sites.google.com/view/sicogg27/proceedings?authuser=0.

2024, The structure of Mandarin embedded and matrix sluicing. Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.3765/plsa.v9i1.5671.

In Mandarin sluicing, the copula shi can precede the wh-phrase and it is sometimes optional.
The literature disagrees on exactly when and why shi is optional. Many assume that shi is optional in embedded sluicing when the wh-phrase is complex.
I argue using experimental findings that shi can only be absent in matrix sluicing and is obligatory in embedded sluicing, regardless of the wh-phrase.
Armed with new experimental findings, I also provide novel arguments in favor of the view that sluicing with shi is underlying copular, while sluicing without shi is not.

Conference Presentations

Upcoming Sep 2026, A modular theory of definites and demonstratives, with evidence from focus. Sep 1-4, Sinn und Bedeutung 31 @ Nantes Université

SuB31_abstract.pdf

Upcoming Jul 2026, Deriving anti-uniqueness and non-honorificity in the Magahi definite marker -wā. Co-author with Aidan Sharma. Jul 29-31, SALT 36 @ University of Buenos Aires

SALT36_abstract.pdf

Upcoming Jun 2026, Demonstratives and epithets in bare noun languages. Co-author with Ariela Ye. June 5-6, TEAL 15 @ The Chinese University of Hong Kong

TEAL15_abstract.pdf

TEAL15_slides.pdf

Upcoming May 2026, Demonstratives and anti-uniqueness in Baatonum. Co-author with Ariela Ye. ****May 19-21, ACAL 57 @ The University at Buffalo

ACAL_Baatonum_anti_uniqueness.pdf

May 2026, Relating anti-uniqueness and non-honorificity to definiteness marking in Magahi. Co-author with Aidan Sharma. ****May 12-15, SULA-TripleA 2026 @ The University of British Columbia

TripleA_Magahi_abstract

TripleA_Magahi_slides

May 2026, Bare nouns in Magahi: Quasi-names or anti-uniqueness? Co-author with Aidan Sharma. ****May 6-7, WCCFL 44 @ Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

WCCFL44_Magahi_abstract

WCCFL44_Magahi_poster

Mar 2026, Derive anti-uniqueness in English demonstratives for free from focus. Mar 13-15, GLOW in Asia 2026 The 2nd Workshop for Young Scholars @ Nanzan University

GLOW_Young_Scholars_anti_uniqueness_abstract.pdf

Feb 2026, Focusing uniqueness: the interpretation of stressed the. Feb 28-Mar 1, the 50th Annual Penn Linguistics Conference @ University of Pennsylvania

PLC50_stressed_the_abstract.pdf

Jan 2026, Get anti-uniqueness for free from focus. Jan 8-11, 2026 LSA Annual Meeting @ New Orleans

LSA_anti_uniqueness_abstract.pdf

LSA_anti_uniqueness_poster.pdf

Nov 2025, Where does anti-uniqueness come from? A case study of English demonstratives. Nov 28-30, LENLS21 @ Nagoya University

LENLS21_anti_uniqueness_abstract.pdf

LENLS21_anti_uniqueness_slides.pdf

Oct 2025, On overt and covert definite marking in vocatives: selecting vs. non-selecting calls. Co-author with Ariela Ye. ****Oct 17-19, NELS 56 @ NYU

NELS56_vocative_abstract.pdf

Oct 2025, Uniqueness presuppositions and where to find them: evidence from focus. Oct 11, The 11th MACSIM @ John Hopkins University

MACSIM_THE_abstract.pdf

Sep 2025, Definiteness and familiarity in Yemba. Co-author with Aidan Sharma and Ariela Ye. ****Sep 10-12, TripleA 12 @ Tokyo University of Foreign Studies

Yemba_definites_abstract.pdf

Aug 2025, On overt and covert definite marking in vocatives: selecting vs. non-selecting calls. Co-author with Ariela Ye. ****Aug 14-16, SICOGG 27 @ Sogang University

SICOGG_vocative_abstract.pdf

Aug 2025, No more Mr Nice Guy: A compositional semantics of quasi-names and titles. Aug 14-16, SICOGG 27 @ Sogang University

SICOGG_quasi_name_abstract.pdf

2024, The syntax and semantics of quasi-names. Apr 6, The 10th MACSIM @ the University of Maryland

MACSIM_2024_quasi_names.pdf

2024, The distribution of the copula shi in Mandarin embedded and matrix sluicing. Jan 5, 2024 LSA Annual Meeting @ Sheraton NY Times Square

LSA2024 poster.pdf

LSA2024 abstract.pdf