Hi! I’m a 4th-year linguistics PhD candidate at Rutgers University. I’m primarily interested in syntax and semantics. Recently, I have worked on the syntax of Mandarin sluicing constructions and the syntax and semantics of the so-called quasi-names.

Publications

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.

Presentations

2024, Turning common nouns into names: how to make quasi-names. May 3, RULing @ Rutgers University

RULing_2024_quasi_names.pdf

Manuscript_quasi-names.pdf

• 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 instead propose 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.

  

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

MACSIM_2024_quasi_names.pdf

• Early version of my RULing presentation on the same topic.

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

• Please refer to my LSA 2024 Proceedings paper for more details.

2023, Mandarin embedded and matrix sluicing. May 5, RULing @ Rutgers University

• Early version of my LSA 2024 presentation and proceeding paper on the same topic.

Teaching

Fall 2024, Lead Instructor, Invented languages (615:190) @ Rutgers University

• Online asynchronous course; does not count towards major.

Spring 2024, Lead Instructor, Introduction to Linguistics (615:201) @ Rutgers University

• Prerequisite course for all upper-level linguistics courses at Rutgers. The course surveys phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.
• Lead a class of 27 students twice a week.

Fall 2023, Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Linguistics (615:201) @ Rutgers University

• Prerequisite course for all upper-level linguistics courses at Rutgers. The course surveys phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. Main lecture lead by Prof. Troy Messick.
• Lead recitation sessions for a class of 29 students once a week.

<aside> <img src="/icons/arrow-down-line_lightgray.svg" alt="/icons/arrow-down-line_lightgray.svg" width="40px" /> Download CV in PDF (coming soon)

**Jiayuan Chen CV (updated Jun 2024)**

</aside>

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Address: Linguistics Department, 18 Seminary Place, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901-1108.

Social

<aside> <img src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8;base64,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" alt="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8;base64,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" width="40px" /> https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiayuan-chen-474073bb/

</aside>

Education

PhD in Linguistics

Rutgers University, New Brunswick

2021 – present

Master in Linguistics

Boston University

2019 – 2020

Bachelor in Philosophy and Linguistics

Rutgers University, New Brunswick

2017 – 2019

Credits Earned Only

South Puget Sound Community College

2015 - 2017

Services

• 2023 - present, Member & Website Builder, MAL Lab @ Rutgers University.
• 2022 - present, Co-organizer, Semantics Reading Group at Rutgers (SURGE).
• 2024 - 2025, President, Linguistics Graduate Students Association (LGSA).
• 2023 - 2024, Vice-president, Linguistics Graduate Students Association (LGSA).
• 2022 & 2023, Student Co-organizer, Rutgers Linguistics Open House.
• Summer 2022, Lab Manager, MAL Lab @ Rutgers University.

Languages

• Mandarin Chinese (Native)
• English (Full professional proficiency)