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Panos Athanasopoulos

Professor of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster University

I work in the areas of experimental psycholinguistics, experimental cognitive linguistics, bilingual cognition, linguistic and cultural relativity, first, second and additional language learning.

After obtaining my PhD on the effects of second language acquisition on cognition from the University of Essex in 2006, I held two post-doctoral positions at Brunel University and the University of Essex. I then took Lectureship positions at Bangor University and Newcastle University, and a Readership in Multilingualism at the University of Reading. I came to Lancaster as a Professor of Applied Linguistics in October 2014.

The main questions that guide my research concern language-driven human cognition and can be summarised as follows:

1. To what extent do speakers with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds think and perceive the world differently?

2. To what extent does additional language learning transform the way we perceive the world?

Recent research programmes have looked at the effects of colour terminology on colour categorical perception, the relationship between grammatical aspect and perception of goal-oriented motion events, the lexicalization of path, manner and causation of motion and motion event cognition, the effects of grammatical gender on object perception, the count/mass noun distinction and the construal of individuation, in populations such as monolingual, bilingual, and multilingual adults, child L1 and L2 acquirers, instructed and naturalistic foreign language learners, and involving speakers of languages such as Afrikaans, Arabic, English, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Sotho, Spanish, Swati, Swedish, Tswana, Xhosa, Zulu.

Language alters our experience of time

Jun 13, 2017 15:59 pm UTC| Insights & Views Entertainment

It turns out, Hollywood got it half right. In the film Arrival, Amy Adams plays linguist Louise Banks who is trying to decipher an alien language. She discovers the way the aliens talk about time gives them the power to...

Economy

Turkey Vehicle Sales Fall 11.4% in June as Auto Market Weakens

Turkeys automotive market lost momentum in June, with total vehicle sales declining compared to the same period last year, reflecting softer demand across both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The latest...

South Korea Warns Won Is Undervalued, Boosts FX Coordination With Japan

South Korea signaled heightened vigilance over its currency market on Thursday, with Vice Finance Minister Huh Chang saying the government is maintaining close communication with Japan and other major partners on foreign...

US Resumes Dollar Shipments to Iraq After Months-Long Suspension

The United States has resumed limited shipments of U.S. dollars to Iraq after a months-long suspension, according to a report by The New York Times citing two senior aides to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani....

Trump Administration Declines USMCA Renewal, Opens Talks on New Trade Changes

The Trump administration has declined to renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in its current form, triggering a 10-year countdown that keeps the North American trade pact in force while negotiations continue over...

Asian Currencies Stay Under Pressure as Dollar Holds Near 13-Month High Ahead of U.S. Jobs Report

Asian currencies traded in a narrow range on Thursday as the U.S. dollar remained close to a 13-month high, with investors awaiting the closely watched U.S. nonfarm payrolls report for fresh clues on the Federal Reserves...

Politics

OpenAI Proposes 5% U.S. Government Stake Amid AI Policy Talks

OpenAI has reportedly proposed granting the U.S. government a 5% ownership stake in the artificial intelligence company as it seeks to strengthen ties with Washington and address growing political scrutiny over the rapidly...

EU Chip Industry Faces Growing Risks From China Export Controls and U.S. Technology Dependence: Report

Europes semiconductor industry faces mounting challenges from Chinese export controls, heavy reliance on U.S. technology, and persistent structural weaknesses, leaving the region with a difficult outlook unless it...

NRC Proposes Radiation Rule Changes to Boost U.S. Nuclear Power Expansion Under Trump

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on Wednesday unveiled a proposal to revise long-standing radiation protection rules, a move that aligns with the Trump administrations broader strategy to accelerate nuclear...

Trump Vows U.S. Will Prevent China From Taking Over the Panama Canal

U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that the United States will not allow China to take control of the Panama Canal, underscoring Washingtons continued focus on one of the worlds most strategically important...

US Envoy Urges Taiwan to Build ‘Hornet’s Nest’ Drone Defense Against China

Taiwan should rapidly expand its drone capabilities to strengthen deterrence against potential conflict with China, the top U.S. representative to the island said on Thursday, underscoring growing support for Taipeis...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Apple Expands iPhone Lineup, Boosts Foldable iPhone Production Plans Through 2027

Apple is reportedly preparing one of its most ambitious iPhone product cycles in years, with plans to significantly expand its smartphone lineup through 2027 while increasing production targets for its highly anticipated...

Samsung to Invest $90 Billion in South Korea to Expand AI Chip, Display, and Battery Production

Samsung Group has unveiled a major investment plan worth 140 trillion won (approximately $90 billion) to strengthen South Koreas technology manufacturing sector, with a strong focus on artificial intelligence (AI),...

Super Micro Employees Detained in Taiwan AI Server Export Investigation

Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI) said two employees at its Taiwan subsidiary have been detained pending a court hearing, while two others were released on bail after being questioned in an investigation into the alleged...

Switch Seeks $2 Billion Funding at Nearly $50 Billion Valuation Ahead of Potential IPO

Data center operator Switch has reportedly launched a private funding round led by venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz, aiming to raise approximately $2 billion in fresh capital at a valuation approaching $50...

ShareChat Eyes 2027 IPO After Reaching Operational Profitability, Report Says

Indias ShareChat is preparing for a potential initial public offering (IPO) next year that could raise up to $400 million, according to a Bloomberg News report citing the companys chief financial officer. The move would...