Linguistics Colloquium Series: "Using Response Time Measures to Test for Substantive Biases" - Sara Finley (Pacific Lutheran University)
The relationship between learning and typology has been readily explored using the artificial language learning paradigm, where participants are trained on a miniature version of a language. While this task shows promise, it may not be sensitive enough to detect small biases, or tease apart perceptual factors that shape learning. In this talk, I present data from a modified phoneme monitoring task that can track both perceptibility and learning of phonological patterns. I will present results showing a learning bias towards vowel harmony over vowel disharmony, but a murkier picture for intervocalic voicing and word final devoicing.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Thomson Hall (THO). Online Meeting Link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/99630029007?pwd=ekZYTU5rUkFjSWtoUnhKMUVKTGxFQT09. Campus room: Thomson Hall 125. Accessibility Contact: Andrew Hedding. Event Types: Academics.
Friday, January 23, 2026, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
Linguistics Colloquium Series: Lucy Li
Abstract to come.
Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: Andrew Hedding. Event Types: Academics.
Friday, February 6, 2026, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
Katz Distinguished Lecture: Emily M. Bender, "Resisting Dehumanization in the Age of "AI": The View from the Humanities"
The production and promotion of so-called "AI" technology involves dehumanization on many fronts: the computational metaphor valorizes one kind of cognitive activity as “intelligence,” devaluing many other aspects of human experience while taking an isolating, individualistic view of agency, ignoring the importance of communities and webs of relationships. Meanwhile, the purpose of humans is framed as being labelers of data or interchangeable machine components. Data collected about people is understood as "ground truth" even while it lies about those people, especially marginalized people. In this talk, Bender will explore these processes of dehumanization and the vital role that the humanities have in resisting these trends by painting a deeper and richer picture of what it is to be human.
Emily M. Bender is the Thomas L. and Margo G. Wyckoff Endowed Professor in Linguistics and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Computer Science and the Information School at the University of Washington, where she has…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Kane Hall (KNE). Campus room: 210. Accessibility Contact: Simpson Center, 206.543.3920, schadmin@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
Katz Distinguished Lecture: Emily M. Bender, "Resisting Dehumanization in the Age of "AI": The View from the Humanities"
The production and promotion of so-called "AI" technology involves dehumanization on many fronts: the computational metaphor valorizes one kind of cognitive activity as “intelligence,” devaluing many other aspects of human experience while taking an isolating, individualistic view of agency, ignoring the importance of communities and webs of relationships. Meanwhile, the purpose of humans is framed as being labelers of data or interchangeable machine components. Data collected about people is understood as "ground truth" even while it lies about those people, especially marginalized people. In this talk, Bender will explore these processes of dehumanization and the vital role that the humanities have in resisting these trends by painting a deeper and richer picture of what it is to be human.
Emily M. Bender is the Thomas L. and Margo G. Wyckoff Endowed Professor in Linguistics and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Computer Science and the Information School at the University of Washington, where she has…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Kane Hall (KNE). Campus room: 210. Accessibility Contact: Simpson Center, 206.543.3920, schadmin@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
Linguistics Colloquium Series: Edith Aldridge (University of Washington)
Abstract to come.
Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: Andrew Hedding. Event Types: Academics.
Friday, February 20, 2026, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
Linguistics Faculty Meeting
Linguistics faculty meeting.
ASL interpretation will be provided.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Guggenheim Hall (GUG). Campus room: GUG 415 L. Accessibility Contact: linguw@uw.edu. Event Types: Meetings.
Friday, March 6, 2026, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
Linguistics Faculty Meeting
Linguistics faculty meeting.
ASL interpretation will be provided.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Guggenheim Hall (GUG). Campus room: GUG 415 L. Accessibility Contact: linguw@uw.edu. Event Types: Meetings.
Friday, April 3, 2026, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.