Hey, I’m Sarah.
I’m a PhD student in Buffalo studying psycholinguistics.
About
Research
My research broadly focuses on the intersection of language and cognition, including the social and psychological processes that drive long-term language change, as well as the processing that occurs alongside things like language propagation. Right now, this means looking at phenomena like speech errors, malaprops, eggcorns, mondegreens, and other creative uses of language. Send me your favorite misunderstood song lyrics!
One of my favorite projects deals with the semantic space(s) of sandwiches. Feel free to ask me anything about my feelings on this delightful food group.
Lastly, I have a special place in my heart for San Basilio de Palenque, Colombia, where I’ve met some truly wonderful people. While I have no projects there currently, I hope to incorporate bilingualism and language contact elements in psycholinguistic work, and look forward to returning to Colombia to work more with that community.
Personal
I was born and raised in NYC, but spent significant time in Indianapolis, IN before moving to Buffalo with my husband and 4 pets (I say “soda,” not “pop,” but I have the “needs washed” construction). When I’m not nerding out about language and cognition, you can find me enjoying Buffalo’s pristine summer days with friends, playing Arkanoid or MarioKart, doing something crafty, or hunting down a semi-private piano.
I’ve also had a very weird academic trajectory, which I’m happy to talk about. Just ask!