Paolo Acquaviva

Paolo Acquaviva is a Professor at the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics at University College Dublin (UCD). He holds a Laurea in Lettere from the University of Pisa and a PhD from the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa (1993). His academic career at UCD spans from 1990 to present, with a 3-year interlude at the University of Venice. He has held roles including Lecturer (1990–1996; 1999–2004), Senior Lecturer (2005), and Professor. His research focuses on theoretical morphology, semantics, and the interfaces between syntax, morphology, and semantics, particularly regarding plurality, nominal categories, and lexical semantics.

Acquaviva’s research projects include studies on the vision-language interface, the morphological structure of nouns, and the Irish verbal system. He has been awarded an IRCHSS Senior Fellowship (2004–2005) and a Humboldt Fellowship (2007–2008). His publications explore topics such as pluralia tantum, nominal reference, and the morphosemantics of number. He has coordinated numerous modules in Italian language and literature, emphasizing student-centered pedagogy. He also served as Director of the UCD Foundation for Italian Studies and held leadership roles in university committees.

His academic contributions span over 129 publications, including monographs like Lexical Plurals (OUP, 2008). Recent research highlights include investigations into nominal conceptualization, visual object lexicalization, and the structural bases of gender systems. His work bridges formal linguistic theory with empirical typological analysis, particularly in Celtic and Romance languages.