Exploration of linguistic creativity in multilingual speakers

• Applicant: Dr. Agnieszka Ewa Krautz
• Subject Area: General and Comparative Linguistics, Experimental Linguistics, Typology, Non-European Languages
• Term: from 2019 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 432519830

In this project, we will explore the notion of linguistic creativity in its narrow sense of lexical creativity. Specifically, we will look at three areas that relate to the: (1) production of compound nouns; (2) coining of novel metaphors; and (3) use of diminutive forms, which reflect the more playful aspect of language use and flexibility when operating in multiple linguistic systems. We expect to observe a multilingual/bilingual advantage stemming from a greater representational system of morphemes, words, phrases as well as ways of combining them. Furthermore, we predict that, if the advantage is present it may be mediated by two factors that have been shown to influence verbal creativity in bilingual speakers, namely, selective attention and metalinguistic awareness.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants