Cheng Xiao

About Me

I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Linguistics Program at the University of South Carolina. My research lies at the intersection of second language acquisition and cognitive neuroscience, with a focus on the processing of semantics and emotional prosody. I am co-advised by Drs. Jiang Liu and Rutvik Desai, and I am a graduate research assistant in the Desai Lab.

My dissertation investigates how native and non-native speakers perceive emotional prosody in a tonal language—Mandarin Chinese, and examines how semantics influence the emotional prosody processing of L1 and L2 Chinese speakers, and utilizes fMRI to elucidate whether native speakers and L2 learners use similar brain mechanisms to process semantics and emotional prosody in Mandarin Chinese words and sentences.

News

• [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 the 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.
• [October, 2023] Our abstract about semantic congruence effects on emotional prosody perception has been accepted for FPM 2023.
• [July, 2023] Our abstract comparing the semantic effects on emotional prosody perception in L1 and L2 speakers has been accepted for BUCLD 48, and I received the Paula Menyuk Travel Award.
• [May, 2023] I won the Graduate Student Poster Award at Discover USC 2023.

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., Shinkareva, S., Yang, X., Desai, R.H. (in preparation). Knowing is feeling: The role of semantic valence in emotional prosody perception for L2 Chinese learners. Preregistration
• Xiao, C., & Liu, J. (in revision). Semantic effects on the perception of emotional prosody in native and non-native Chinese speakers.
• Xiao, C., & Liu, J. (in revision). The perception of emotional prosody in Mandarin Chinese words and sentences.
• 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

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 2022, CHIN 222: Intermediate Mandarin Chinese II
  • Fall 2022, CHIN 221: Intermediate Mandarin Chinese I
  • Spring 2021, CHIN 122: Basic Proficiency Mandarin Chinese
  • Fall 2020, CHIN 121: Elementary Mandarin Chines
  • 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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