Dr. Lisa Matthewson

Biography

Lisa Matthewson is a Professor and a Distinguished University Scholar in the Department of Linguistics at the University of British Columbia (UBC). She obtained her Ph.D. from UBC in 1996 and has since been active in researching cross-linguistic variation in semantics and pragmatics, particularly within languages of North America. Matthewson's work often involves fieldwork on languages such as St’át’imcets, Gitksan, and Niuean, focusing on issues related to determiners, quantification, modals, and evidentiality. She has contributed extensively to the field of linguistics, with research emphasizing the semantic fieldwork methodology and the preservation of endangered languages. Her expertise in the semantics/pragmatics interface has led her to participate in numerous community language preservation initiatives. Throughout her academic career, she has published widely, including significant works on the interface between semantics and syntax and the analytical challenges posed by lesser-studied languages. In recent years, her focus has also included modeling complex semantic phenomena in experimental settings, contributing to a deeper understanding of linguistic principles. Matthewson is known for her collaborative research, often working alongside various scholars in her investigations of linguistic structures across diverse languages.

Research Interests

Experience