Suzi Lima

Suzi Lima is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Toronto. She holds a cross-appointment in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Her research focuses on cross-linguistic semantics, integrating theoretical and experimental approaches to explore how languages encode semantic representations across domains such as counting, measuring, and language acquisition. She has expertise in Brazilian indigenous languages like Yudja and Kaingang, emphasizing documentation, syntax, and psycholinguistic experimentation.

Education: PhD from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2020s), and BA/PhD from the University of São Paulo. Her work bridges formal semantics with empirical methods, addressing topics like the mass-count distinction, pluractionality, and experimental design in descriptive linguistics. She collaborates on language documentation projects and pedagogical materials for endangered languages.

Research highlights include studies on Yudja’s quotative structures, experimental investigations of Brazilian Portuguese syntax, and typological analyses of nominal classification systems. Her articles reflect engagement with both theoretical frameworks and applied linguistic challenges, particularly in understudied indigenous languages.

Her contributions emphasize collaborative fieldwork and interdisciplinary methods, advancing understanding of linguistic diversity and its cognitive foundations. Current projects explore language endangerment and revitalization strategies, alongside studies on linguistic universals in counting and measurement systems.