Cheng Xiao

About Me

I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Linguistics Program at the University of South Carolina. My research explores the processing of linguistic and paralinguistic cues in the context of emotion from a cross-linguistic perspective. I am co-advised by Drs. Jiang Liu and Rutvik H. Desai. I am currently a graduate research assistant in the Desai Lab.

My dissertation investigates how native and non-native speakers perceive and process emotional information through semantics and prosody in a tonal language——Mandarin Chinese, and examines how semantics influences their perception of emotional prosody. I also utilize functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to explore whether native speakers and non-native speakers use similar brain mechanisms to process semantics and emotional prosody in speech.

I am currently on the job market in the academic year of 2024-2025.

News

• [Oct, 2024] My first-authored paper on emotional prosody perception in Mandarin Chinese words and sentences has been published in Second Language Research.
• [July, 2024] Our abstract on semantic neighborhood effects with ATL stimulation has been accepted for SNL 2024.
• [July, 2024] My first-authored paper examining semantic effects on the perception of emotional prosody in native and non-native Chinese speakers has been published in the special issue of Cognition and Emotion on the interplay between language and emotion.
• [March, 2024] I have been awarded the Dr. Richard Walker Memorial Endowed Fellowship.
• [March, 2024] Our abstract comparing emotional prosody perception in novice and advanced L2 Chinese learners has been accepted for HSP 37.
• [February, 2024] A co-authored paper on English prosodic focus marking has been published in Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.
• [December, 2023] I have been invited for a talk at the special session on second language acquisition for LCUGA 2024.

Grants

• 2023-2025, National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (NSF-DDRIG), BCS-2234914 (“Doctoral Dissertation Research: The semantic effect on the processing of emotional prosody in a tone language: A neurolinguistic study”), co-PI, PI: Jiang Liu, co-PI: Rutvik Desai, USD 17,780.
• 2022-2023, University of South Carolina SPARC Graduate Research Grant, Proposal #120700-22-59283 (“Bridging meaning and sound: The effects of semantics on emotional prosody processing in Mandarin Chinese words and sentences”), PI, mentors: Jiang Liu, Rutvik Desai, USD 4,938.
• 2020-2021, University of South Carolina Graduate Teaching Resource Development Grant (for course enrichment of CHIN121: Elementary Mandarin Chinese), USD 400.
• 2020-2021, University of South Carolina Graduate Teaching Resource Development Grant (for course enrichment of CHIN321: Advance Mandarin Chinese), USD 400.

Publications

• Xiao, C., & Liu, J. (2024b). The perception of emotional prosody in Mandarin Chinese words and sentences. Second Language Research. 1-28. Link, PDF
• Xiao, C., & Liu, J. (2024a). Semantic effects on the perception of emotional prosody in native and non-native Chinese speakers. Cognition and Emotion. 1-11. Link, PDF
• Wang, B. X., Chen, S., Zhou, F., Liu, J., Xiao, C., Chan, A., & Tang, T. (2024). English Prosodic Focus Marking by Cantonese Trilingual Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 67(3), 782-801. Link
• Liu, J., & Xiao, C. (2021). Tone category learning should serve tone word learning: an experiment of integrating pronunciation teaching in L2 Chinese curriculum. In Edited Volume The acquisition of Chinese as a second language pronunciation: Segments and prosody. Edited by Yang, Chunsheng: Springer. Link
• Xiao, C., Arheix-Parras, S., Johari, K., Riccardi, N., Desai, R.H. (in preparation). Semantic neighborhood effects with anterior temporal lobe stimulation.
• Xiao, C., Liu, J., Shinkareva, S., Yang, X., Desai, R.H. (to be submitted). Knowing is feeling: The role of semantic valence in emotional prosody perception for L2 Chinese learners. Preregistration

Teaching Experience

• Instructor of Record, Linguistics Program, University of South Carolina
  • Spring 2023, LING 301/ENGL 389: The English Language
  • Fall 2022, LING 101: Introduction to Language
• Instructor of Record, Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, University of South Carolina
  • Spring 2021, CHIN 122: Basic Proficiency Mandarin Chinese
  • Fall 2020, CHIN 121: Elementary Mandarin Chinese
  • Spring 2022, CHIN 222: Intermediate Mandarin Chinese II
  • Fall 2022, CHIN 221: Intermediate Mandarin Chinese I
  • Spring 2020, CHIN 322: Advance Mandarin Chinese II
  • Fall 2019, CHIN 321: Advance Mandarin Chinese I
• Guest Lecturer, Linguistics Program, University of South Carolina
  • Spring 2023, LING 300: Introduction to Language Sciences
• Tutor, International Accelerator Program, University of South Carolina
  • Fall 2019—Spring 2020, English as a second language (ESL) Tutor

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