2026
Reduplicative identity driven by Surface Correspondence
Published Phonology
Argues that reduplicated words need correspondence to explain why related pieces stay similar.
Yifan Yang
Assistant Professor of Linguistics
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
I am a phonologist working at the interface of phonology, phonetics, and morphology. My research focuses on nonconcatenative morphology, reduplication, syllable structure, and the sound patterns of understudied Chinese dialects. I combine formal analysis with linguistic fieldwork and acoustic and articulatory methods. In Mandarin Chinese, my name is pronounced [i˥.fan˧˥.jɑŋ˧˥].
Research Highlights
Current Lines of Work
Nonconcatenative Morphology
Rime change, diminutive formation, and subtraction patterns in Chinese dialects.
Reduplicative Identity
Correspondence, Surface Correspondence, and identity effects in reduplication.
Syllable Structure
Temporal coordination and acoustic evidence for syllable organization.
Ladin Phonetics
Fieldwork-based phonetic and phonological studies of Val di Fassa varieties.
Selected Publications
Representative Work
2025
Temporal coordination in sibilant-stop clusters in Moenat Ladin
Published Romance minority languages and linguistic theory (RMLLT), special issue of Isogloss: Open Journal of Romance Linguistics
Uses acoustic timing to connect consonant-cluster phonetics with syllable structure in Moenat Ladin.
2024
Floating mora affixation in Huozhou diminutive subtraction
Published Glossa: A Journal of General Linguistics
Shows how diminutive meaning can be expressed through subtraction, modeled as floating mora affixation.
2023
More about me
My work often combines phonological theories with empirical data collected through fieldwork and phonetic analysis, aiming to bridge the theoretical and empirical dimensions of phonology.
I primarily focus on understudied Chinese dialects, with a particular emphasis on diminutive patterns: the ways languages modify words to make them sound smaller, cuter, or more affectionate. My fascination with these intricate patterns traces back to the local dialects of my hometown and the nostalgic memories of my grandmother's words.
Places
