Our Gronings app 'Van Old noar Jong' has launched and can be freely downloaded for Apple and Android. The app is integrated in a ten-week lesson series about the regional language Gronings for primary schools. Interested schools can order all material (including a copy of De Gruvvalo) for free via the website of the University of Groningen Scholierenacademie. The launch was covered by various news media, including the Dutch national Jeugdjournaal (see News coverage, below).
As of February 2021, we have a mobile laboratory available for our outreach initiatives and conducting research in the field: SPRAAKLAB. SPRAAKLAB has all the facilities necessary for collecting high-quality data and running various types of experiments in linguistics: from acoustic and articulatory data collection to eye-tracking and EEG using portable equipment. Below you can see the launch video of SPRAAKLAB. This launch was covered by various news media, including RTV Noord (see News coverage, below). With SPRAAKLAB, we often visit public engagement activities and festivals. For example, we have participated in Noorderzon (both in 2021 and 2022), Zwarte Cross (in 2022 and planned for 2023), and Expeditie Next (in 2022).
In August 2019, Dr. Gregory Mills and I investigated how language evolves and changes using a interactive game between two players. It was an incredible experience and we were able to collect speech production data for about 75 pairs of speakers during only three days! Our participation was made possible through financial contributions of the University of Groningen, the Young Academy Groningen and the Groningen University Fund. Below you can see an impression of this event. The event was covered by various news media, including NPO Radio 1 (see News coverage, below).
In August 2018, we investigated the influence of alcohol on native and non-native speech using ultrasound tongue imaging. It was an incredible experience and we were able to collect speech productiong for about 150 speakers during only three days! Our participation was made possible through financial contributions of the University of Groningen, the Young Academy Groningen and the Groningen University Fund. Below you can see an impression of this event. The event was covered by various national news media, including De Telegraaf, NPO Radio 1, NOS op 3 and Dagblad van het Noorden. More links to media items can be found further below (News coverage).
We enjoy demonstrating how we collect data on tongue and lip movement during speech. If you'd like a demonstration at your school or event, please contact me. Below you can see an impression of my team at the Experiment Event for children organized by De Jonge Akademie, the NS, the Spoorwegmuseum, and Quest Junior.
(Note that especially the English news coverage in 2014 got many details wrong, see this Language Log post.)
Through a project grant of De Jonge Akademie, I was able to create a comic about my research (designed and drawn by Lorenzo Milito and Ruggero Montalto). You can view the comic below or download it here for free. Please contact me if you would like to receive a printed copy of the Dutch version of the comic (as long as supplies last).