Yılmaz Köylü is a lecturer in the Center for Language Education at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He has a PhD in Linguistics and Second Language Studies from Indiana University, Bloomington. His interests lie in the domains of first and second language acquisition, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, Turkish linguistics, as well as Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and second language (L2) writing. He is particularly interested in the syntax-semantics interface, the structure and meaning of noun phrases, genericity, kind reference, and mass/count noun distinction across languages.
Professional Interests
Theoretical linguistics
Second language acquisition
Syntax
Semantics
Pragmatics
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Scholarship
Syntactic variation in Hong Kong English: A non-standard feature, or a regular one?
KÖYLÜ, Yilmaz
Source: English Today, April 2024, p. 1-9
DOI: 10.1017/S0266078424000087
Kirkpatrick and Lixun (2021) maintain that two significant morphosyntactic processes have been at play in early Englishes. These are simplification and regularization. Simplification refers to the relatively simplified inflectional morphology in English today. Kirkpatrick and Lixun (2021) provide an example for the word stan (i.e., stone in Old English) that showed great differences in the singular and plural form in nominative, accusative, genitive and dative case in Old English. Another process is regularization, through which some of the strong verb forms for past tense in English have changed to take the weak or the regular form. To illustrate, the past tense of work was wrought but over time, it has changed to worked.
A feature based account of genericity and kind reference
KÖYLÜ, Yilmaz
Genericity encompasses two distinct phenomena. The first one is reference to a kind, whereby a predicate describes a property directly of a kind as in Dinosaurs are extinct. The second one is a characterizing or a generic sentence that expresses generalizations as in Cats meow. A feature of generic sentences is that they tolerate exceptions. We accept sentences such as Mosquitos carry the West Nile virus to be true although the predicated property characterizes less than 1 percent of the generic noun phrase. In this article, I propose a feature-based account of genericity and kind reference linked to a formal semantics that articulates the features responsible for genericity and kind reference and where they are encoded. I argue that genericity and kind reference is due to the [−domain restriction] feature encoded on the (D)eterminer, the [+set] feature on the head of the Set Phrase, and the [+/−exception tolerance] feature encoded on a predicate. This feature-based account explains why a sentence like Cats meow is tolerant of exceptions while Dinosaurs are extinct is not. My account is in line with the Borer-Chomsky Conjecture (Baker 2008), according to which crosslinguistic parametric variation is due to differences in the features of functional heads.
Acquisition of kind-reference by Arabic, Chinese, and Turkish L2 learners of English
KÖYLÜ, Yilmaz
Source: Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique, v. 68, (3), November 2023, p. 387-413
DOI: 10.1017/cnj.2023.22
This study examines the acquisition of kind-referring expressions such as The dodo is extinct. The objective is to investigate whether second language (L2) learners’ acquisition of nominal number marking and articles expressing kind-reference in English is affected by their first language (L1), their L2 proficiency in English, or the syntactic position of the kind-referring noun phrase (NP). L2 learners of English with Arabic, Chinese, and Turkish L1 backgrounds and a control group of native English speakers (NSs) participated in the study. The results from a Fill in the Gaps Task (FGT) and an Acceptability Judgment Task (AJT) demonstrated that L2 learners were more successful in their production and acceptability judgments when the expression of kind-reference in the target language was similar to that in their L1. The results also showed non-facilitative L1 transfer in the domain of bare singulars, as well as a positive effect of higher L2 proficiency on kind-referring NPs. Finally, the study revealed a subject/object asymmetry in the acquisition of kind-referring NPs in L2 English.
A revision of MILE 5001 Second Language Acquisition (Project 1 of 5)
KOYLU, Yilmaz
Short Descriptions
One of my summer projects includes revising the MILE 5001 Second Language Acquisition course based on student feedback. I have gone over all the student comments in the SFQ and I note down below the themes that have emerged and the changes I can make in Fall 2022. 1) Slow down and reduce the reading materials particularly in the first 4 weeks. 2) Highlight the critical concepts in PPTs and tell students which topics are more important. 3) Create connections between theory and practice. 4) Add more linguistic/teaching related examples from real life. 5) Provide more guidance about the final assignment. Emphasize the significance of the process rather than the final product. 6) Consider adding group discussions. 7) Have more interaction with students. Based on those points, I will be revising the course materials and the assessments over the summer.
Acquisition of mass-count distinction by Mandarin, and Cantonese L2 learners of English (Project 2 of 5)
KOYLU, Yilmaz
Short Descriptions
My second project for the summer is a research publication I have been working on. I plan to finish writing it up and submit it to a top-tier journal for publication. Here is my abstract: The semantic and cognitive correlates of the syntactic mass-count distinction has been explored in various studies including a recent thematic issue in Glossa featuring six articles dedicated to exploring the phenomenon. The current study contributes to the existing literature by investigating whether second language (L2) learners of English with Mandarin and Cantonese first language (L1) backgrounds were on a par with natives speakers of English in pluralizing canonically mass and count nouns that differed with respect to properties such as atomicity, abstractness and concreteness. The results based on a Fill in the Gaps Task (FGT) indicated that the different properties of a noun influenced the degree of pluralization for L2 learners of English. More specifically, the results revealed that for L2 learners of English (1) mass-ness, non-atomicity and abstractness decreased the odds of pluralization of a noun; (2) atomicity had a larger effect on pluralization of a noun than abstractness on pluralization; and (3) abstractness in the context of nonatomicity did not have a large reduction in the odds of pluralization.
Comprehension of conversational implicatures in second/third language Chinese (Project 3 of 5)
KOYLU, Yilmaz
Short Descriptions
I currently have a research assistant from the MAILE program and we are working on replicating one of my previous research projects in which I investigated the development of conversational implicatures (implied meaning) in second language (L2) English. Here is the link for my prior publication: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ip-2018-0011/html We are going to do the same in L2/L3 Chinese to probe into the question of whether learners with various L1/L2 backgrounds are able to comprehend implied meaning in L2/L3 Chinese. I plan to publish an article based on this project in journals such as Studies in Second Language Acquisition, Second Language Research, and Modern Language Journal. We could also present the findings for our students in the MAILE program and at various conferences in Hong Kong.
Ethics training in scholarship for CLE (Project 5 of 5)
KOYLU, Yilmaz
Short Descriptions
My final project for the summer is an ethics workshop. I and Eugene Li are working on an "Ethics training in scholarship for CLE". We are planning to present this in our EYE event in August. We aim to particularly demonstrate how to use the new tick@lab website, and how to submit a Human Research Ethics Protocol.
Investigating the acquisition of Cantonese as a 3rd language
KOYLU, Yilmaz
Short Descriptions
This study aims to investigate the acquisition of Cantonese as a 3rd language to improve the teaching and learning of the sound system, the morphology, the syntax, semantics, and pragmatics of Cantonese.
Possible Benefits
Many individuals have challenges in acquiring Cantonese. Some don't even bother to start learning it. This project may encourage more students and faculty to take up Cantonese.
Deliverables
A number of research articles may be published in journals such as Second Language Research, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, etc.
Syntactic variation in Hong Kong English (Project 4 of 5)
KOYLU, Yilmaz
Short Descriptions
My fourth project for the summer is another research publication I have been working on. I plan to finish writing it up and submit it to a top-tier journal for publication. Here is my abstract: This article details the syntactic variation in Hong Kong English observed in college student essays. The essays were produced by 79 students in 4 different sections of an upper-intermediate English language course at a research university in Hong Kong. The students were asked to write two reflection essays evaluating the efficiency of the course and their own performance. Out of 158 300-word reflection essays, 48 essays (i.e., about 30% of the total number of essays) were randomly selected and analyzed. The analysis revealed two general patterns, each with 5 sub-categories. The first general pattern was the omission of various grammatical forms in obligatory contexts such as the omission of the indefinite article, definite article, the subject relative pronoun, the copula in a relative clause construction, and the past tense marker. The next general pattern was using certain grammatical and lexical forms with intended meanings not found in English. These included using "will" with a past tense reference, using "will" with a past tense habitual reference, using "will" with a present tense habitual reference, using counterfactual conditionals instead of factual conditionals, and finally using an "although…but" construction. Although the attested usages of English were all ungrammatical in standard English, those different constructions never led to a communication breakdown as the intended meaning in each context was successfully conveyed. That leads to an interesting question as to whether such forms are on a path to be grammaticalized in Hong Kong English. The article ends with a discussion on the dichotomy between descriptive and prescriptive linguistics, as well as pedagogical implications of the findings.
Implicatures [Book review]
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
DOI: 10.1017/cnj.2021.27
An overview of the NP versus DP debate
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
DOI: 10.1111/lnc3.12406
This article provides an overview of what is known as the noun phrase (NP) versus determiner phrase (DP) debate. I first revisit the arguments by which a language would be assigned an NP or rather a DP structure, followed by the proper characterisation, function and features of determiners. I then summarise the typological endeavour of Bošković, surveying some of the syntactic and semantic correlates of the NP versus DP parameter and applying four of the diagnostics Bošković developed to Turkish as well as providing examples from other languages such as Korean, Vietnamese and Lithuanian. For each diagnostic, I provide some counterarguments that cast doubt on the validity of those diagnostics. I conclude, in line with Kornfilt (2017, 2018) that proposing correlations between an NP or a DP status of the nominal domain and a certain clustering of syntactic or semantic properties should be abandoned.
Teaching & learning guide for: An overview of the NP versus DP debate
KÖYLÜ, Yilmaz
DOI: 10.1111/lnc3.12413
This article reviews the NP versus DP debate in syntactic theory. It scrutinizes the arguments according to which a language would be assigned an NP or a DP structure. The article also provides an overview of the proper characterization, function and features of determiners, followed a by a discussion of the typological endeavour of Bošković, according to whom the NP or the DP status of the nominal domain in any language can be gleaned from the way certain syntactic and semantic properties are clustered. The article delineates four of the syntactic and semantic correlates of the NP versus DP parameter. Examples from a variety of languages such as Turkish, Korean, Vietnamese and Lithuanian cast doubt on the validity of Bošković's diagnostics intended to divide the nominal domain of languages as NPs or DPs. The article ends on a cautionary note that linguists should analyse each language in its own right to determine whether it exhibits a functional DP projection rather than proposing correlations between an NP or a DP status of the nominal domain and a certain clustering of syntactic or semantic properties. By providing suggestions for further reading, links to online materials, as well as a sample syllabus incorporating the original article, this teaching and learning guide lays out ideas as to how the original article can be utilized in both undergraduate and graduate level syntax courses.
Teaching linguistics through language construction: A project-based approach
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
DOI: 10.1075/pl.21013.koy
This article details how introductory linguistics courses can increase student engagement and learning through a project-based approach, whereby the students first study the subfields of linguistics with a view to complete the main project of the course, namely to construct a novel language. I provide information from a semester-long course with specific project-based activities teachers could utilize in their classes. I also thoroughly examine the constructed language projects based on 33 student submissions in an introductory linguistics course in the US. The analysis indicates a high level of engagement and creativity by the students in creating a distinct orthography, phonetic, morphological, and syntactic rules and semantic properties for their constructed languages. The results from a 20-item questionnaire and student exit interviews indicate that the project-based approach adopted in the completion of their constructed languages proved effective in (a) improving student motivation and engagement; (b) helping students apply the knowledge of the material to carry out linguistic analysis; (c) enhancing students’ language learning skills; (d) encouraging them to study additional foreign languages; and finally (e) promoting linguistic diversity. Hence, as an innovative and effective method still in its infancy, project-based learning should be more widely implemented in linguistics instruction. © John Benjamins Publishing Company
Key questions in language teaching: An introduction [Book Review]
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
DOI: 10.1016/j.system.2021.102484
The comparative method of language acquisition research [Book Review]
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
Source: Journal of Linguistics, v. 57, (3), August 2021, p. 684-688
DOI: 10.1017/S0022226721000177
Abstract knowledge of emphatic reduplication in Turkish
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
Source: Proceedings of the Workshop on Turkic and Languages in Contact with Turkic, v. 5, 2020, p. 86-96
DOI: 10.3765/ptu.v5i1.4780
This study investigated whether native speakers of Turkish have abstract knowledge regarding the principles guiding the selection of appropriate reduplicative forms in emphatic reduplication in Turkish. 14 native speakers of Turkish completed the study. The participants were asked to reduplicate 48 non-words in 4 experimental conditions where the number of segments and the phonological features of the word forms were manipulated. The 4 experimental conditions had VCV (e.g. /ukɑ/), CVC (e.g. /lɔt/), CVCV (e.g. /gεʒi/), and VCCV (e.g. /ɔhfɑ/) sequences. Each condition included 12 items. In each of the CVC, CVCV, and VCCV conditions, the base forms for 6 items did not include consonants used productively as interpolated consonants {p, m, s}. The next 6 conditions included {p, m, s} either as the first, or the second consonant in the base form of the non-word. The results indicated that the interpolated consonant in Turkish was taken from the set of {p, m, s}. Moreover, the interpolated consonant was sometimes identical to the second consonant of the base, but never to the first consonant. The most frequently produced interpolated consonant was {p}. In the VCV, and VCCV conditions, {m} was preferred over {s}. In the CVC, and CVCV conditions, {s} was preferred over {m}. The results demonstrate that Turkish native speakers were able to extend the reduplication strategies they employed in real words to non-words.
Mass/Count Noun Distinction in L2 English
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
ISBN: 9781574734768
Location: Ohio State University, USA
Source: Selected Proceedings of the 2017 Second Language Research Forum / edited by Hope Wilson, Nicole King, Eun Jeong Park, and Kirby Childress. Somerville, MA, USA : Cascadilla Proceedings Project, 2019, p. 104-116
In English grammar, the use of mass and count nouns affects the use of articles, plural marking, and agreement. Given that L2 learners usually have challenges in those domains in both the initial and subsequent stages of L2 acquisition, this study investigated how Turkish L2 learners of English treat mass and count nouns, as well as object mass nouns and mass/count flexible items, since conceptualizing a noun in a certain way may lead learners to use those nouns with different morphosyntax. Using a quantity judgment task adapted from Barner and Snedeker (2005), the researcher investigated to what extent Turkish L2 learners of English based their quantity judgments on cardinality or amount in evaluating substance mass nouns, object mass nouns (e.g., furniture), count nouns, and mass/count flexible nouns. The study also addressed the issue of first language transfer in L2 English in this domain. The results showed that L2 learners treated substance mass nouns, count nouns, and flexible mass/count nouns with count syntax in a target-convergent manner, but they differed from native speakers in object mass nouns and mass/count flexible items with mass syntax.
Reference to kinds in L2 English
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
Source: Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America, v. 4, (1), 2019, p. 46-59
DOI: 10.3765/plsa.v4i1.4537
Comprehension of Conversational Implicatures in L2 English
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
DOI: 10.1515/ip-2018-0011
This study investigated the development of the ability to interpret conversational implicatures in English as an L2. The study followed a cross-sectional design and used a methodologically innovative audio-visual interpretation task with an oral production component. By orally reporting their interpretations, participants demonstrated comprehension of conversational implicatures viewed in a video, rather than employing a predetermined response approach used in earlier studies, which neither explore nor reveal how L2 learners understand implicatures. Fifty participants, forty-five learners at three proficiency levels and five native speakers of English, took part in the study. The results indicated that the comprehension of conversational implicatures showed a significant improvement as L2 proficiency increased. Learner responses were additionally coded based on stages of implicature calculation, which demonstrated that not only learners’ correct interpretations but also their incorrect responses provide insights into their interlanguage development. Such a finding further illustrates the superiority of a free response approach over a predetermined one since the former approach can better shed light on L2 learners’ true pragmatic competence in conversational implicatures.
A compositional approach to conjunct agreement in Turkish
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Source: Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America, v. 3, (1), 3 March 2018, p. 17-28
DOI: 10.3765/plsa.v3i1.4298
Papers in Turkish and Turkic Linguistics
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz; Kornfilt, Jaklin
The effect of the predicate type on noun incorporation in Turkish
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
Preface: Papers in Turkish and Turkic Linguistics
KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz; Kornfilt, Jaklin
The interaction between phonetic coding ability and feedback exposure condition
Yılmaz, Yucel; KÖYLÜ, Yılmaz
ISBN: 9789027243744
Source: Cognitive Individual Differences in Second Language Processing and Acquisition / Edited by Gisela Granena , Daniel O. Jackson, Yucel Yilmaz. The Netherlands : John Benjamins, 2016, p. 303-326, Book series: Bilingual Processing and Acquisition, v. 3
DOI: 10.1075/bpa.3.14yil
This chapter reports on an empirical study that investigated feedback-cognitive ability interactions in three oral negative feedback exposure conditions. In the first condition, learners (i.e. receivers) received feedback on their own errors. In the second condition, learners (i.e. nonreceivers) did not receive feedback on their own errors, but they were allowed to hear the feedback that was provided to the receivers. In the control condition, learners were not exposed to feedback. The cognitive ability investigated was a sub-component of Carroll’s (1962) aptitude model, phonetic coding ability (PCA), or the capacity to recognize and remember previously encountered phonetic material. Results revealed that PCA played a role only in the receivers’ immediate posttest performance, suggesting that the receivers and the nonreceivers might have processed the feedback differently and that higher PCA ability may increase the benefits of receiving feedback directly on one’s own errors but have no effect on feedback that one is merely exposed to.