Welcome to the Speech Sciences Laboratory at UFBA!

Drawing on ideas and methods from (but not solely!) Psycholinguistics, Laboratory Phonology, Sociolinguistics/Sociophonetics and Experimental Phonetics, our laboratory aims to investigate the multiple facets of native and non-native speech perception and production, such as speech development, variation and change, bilingualism and language processing in the brain.

Even with a special attention given to Phonetics and Phonology and to oral languages, we are very interested in investigating interface phenomena, including other linguistic levels and cognitive processes. We are also interested in bilingual studies involving sign languages.

Over the past years, there has been a clear progress in Experimental Linguistics, and we seek to continue this progress and to leverage the area to build a more complete understanding of language, extending this knowledge to other branches of science.

Our lab also hosts a Center for Bilingualism and Complexity Studies (CeBiC) and a Study Group. Check our tabs!

LaFALA has five main areas of research:

1. L2 Development & bilingualism: L2 phonetic-phonetic phonological development, Interphonology, First language attrition/drift resulting from L2 development, Bilingualism, Sign language-spoken language bilingualism (bimodal bilingualism), Pronunciation teaching (also speaking and listening), Perceptual Training and Explicit Instruction.
2. L1 Development: Typical and atypical phonetic-phonological language development, Neurodegenerative Language Disorders, Phonological Awareness and Orthography, L1 plasticity and processing over lifespan.
3. Speech perception and production: Segmental and suprasegmental aspects, Multimodality in speech perception, Laboratory Phonology, Experimental Phonetics, Acoustic-Articulatory Phonology.
4. Language adaptability, variation and change: Sound variation and change, Sociophonetics, Language contact, Language and migration, Language development in multidialectal and multilingual contexts, Language as a social cue, Social and cognitive salience.
5. Heritage and endangered Languages: Speech perception and production by second-generation immigrants, Language Documentation, Phonetic-phonological aspects of Native Brazilian languages.

Technologies and methods

The Lab is primarily a Laboratory Phonology group that uses a wide range of tools and statistical methods. Experimental methods in Psycholinguistics and Experimental Phonetics (mainly Acoustic phonetics) are pillars to our lab.

Collaborators

We work closely with numerous collaborators, including researchers from LABICO at UFRGS and NUPFFALE at UFSC.

Joining the Lab

If you are interested in joining us please go to the recruitment page.

Funding

We are grateful for funding from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, and the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia.