Lectal Coherence in Lexis: A Cognitive-socioindexical and Computational Perspective

R. Harald Baayen, Karen V. Beaman & Konstantin Sering (Tübingen University)

This project investigates lectal coherence in the mental lexicon from cognitive, socioindexical, and computational perspectives. Using a large corpus of spoken Swabian across two time periods, it applies the Discriminative Lexicon Model to examine how dialectal and standard features co-occur, how frequency influences coherence, and how mixed varieties impact comprehension and production. By linking computational modelling with sociolinguistic data, the project deepens our understanding of lexical structure, learning processes, and language change.