Caitlin Samples

Caitlin E. Samples is a PhD candidate in Hispanic linguistics. Broadly, she is interested in morphosyntax and semantics, specifically, as they pertain to second and heritage language acquisition, linguistic theory, and language variation. Other interests include applied linguistics, L2 pedagogy, and language change. Her dissertation analyzes how learners of English and Spanish acquire possessive structures at the interfaces among morphosyntax, lexicon, and semantics. Additionally, she considers how native speakers vary (extra-) linguistically in their uses of these structures and how the structures can be better represented formally. Caitlin has also researched several topics on variation and change in Spanish: the use of gender-inclusive first-person plural pronouns in Twitter, possessive relative pronoun choice, the presence/absence of the subjunctive in conditional clauses, and semantic changes among Romance color terms. She has taught all levels of beginning and intermediate Spanish, including in-person and online courses.