معرفی
Ai Taniguchi is an Assistant Professor (Teaching Stream) in the Department of Language Studies at the University of Toronto Mississauga, specializing in English Language Linguistics and Online Teaching. Her academic journey includes a PhD in Linguistics from Michigan State University, where she worked under Marcin Morzycki, an MA in Linguistics from the same institution, and a BA (Highest Honours) in Linguistics and French from the University of Georgia.
Her research expertise spans formal semantics and pragmatics, with particular focus on non-at-issue meaning, social meaning, and dynamic semantics. She explores what kinds of meaning exist in language beyond literal, at-issue meanings and how they can be formally modeled. Her work includes investigations of Japanese linguistic phenomena such as sentence-final particles, role language (yakuwarigo), and pejorative language use.
Taniguchi's pedagogical work is equally innovative, combining linguistics with visual arts to create accessible educational content. She uses comics and other visual media to communicate complex linguistic concepts to broader audiences through her LingComics projects. Her teaching interests include equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization in linguistics education, public outreach, and innovative online teaching methods for large introductory courses.
Her publications and research demonstrate a consistent pattern connecting formal linguistic theory with practical applications in education and public communication. She has co-authored Essentials of Linguistics (2nd edition), an open educational resource that makes linguistics accessible to wider audiences, reflecting her commitment to public linguistics and educational equity.
- LSA 2019: 5-Minute Linguist (winner)
- University of Toronto International Student Experience Fund (2022-2023)
- eCampusOntario Virtual Learning Strategy grant (2021-2022)
As a teaching-focused faculty member, Taniguchi has developed numerous courses including LIN204 (English Grammar I), LIN205 (English Grammar II), LIN337 (Lexical Semantics), LIN338 (Pragmatics), and LIN452 (Communicating English Language Linguistics). Her pedagogical approach emphasizes authentic assessment, justice-centered curriculum development, and the integration of visual arts into linguistic instruction.
Taniguchi maintains an active presence in both academic and public spheres, with media appearances, public lectures, and high school outreach programs in the Greater Toronto Area. Her work bridges the gap between specialized linguistic research and public understanding through creative communication methods.
