Dr. Dora Alexopoulou

Biography

Dora Alexopoulou is an Associate Professor in the Department of Theoretical Applied Linguistics at the University of Cambridge. She specializes in language acquisition and language typology. Her research focuses on natural language syntax and its manifestation of human cognitive capacity in language learning. Dr. Alexopoulou's work examines the variation and diversity in languages and the cross-linguistic influence on language learning. Her central research question investigates how the similarity between a learner’s mother tongue and the target language influences their interpretation processes, impacting their language learning outcomes. Her current projects involve partnerships that address questions regarding language typology and cognition using Chomsky’s generative syntax, as well as experimental and corpus data, particularly in the context of online foreign language learning platforms. Her recent research includes investigating language learnability and the role of phonological distances between first and second languages. Dr. Alexopoulou is also involved in overseeing graduate research in her field and encourages collaborative engagement within her department.

Research Interests

Experience