Dr Kinga Kozminska

Overview

Biography

With a background in theoretical linguistics and sociophonetics, I am interested in language modelling and scale-making practices, particularly their embodied enactments, entanglement in network cultures and specific rearrangements of materials. I study both how sensorimotor capacities are entangled in bodily experiences and how they are embedded in their sociocultural and technological contexts. 

Combining theoretical work with data-driven approaches and use of specialist software (e.g. Praat, R, Python), I analyze speaking styles among transnational actors to understand how they go about localizing and extending themselves into multiple locations and how this impacts the connection between their conceptual and material worlds. Drawing on situated audio and audio-visual recordings collected during ethnographic projects, I examine how contemporary changes in sensory modalities influence adherence to linguistic norms and sociolinguistic innovation, and how this may impact group formation processes.

My latest research focuses on voice AI technologies and aims to understand how such technologies are transforming human sociolinguistic capabilities of action. With societal impact of such technologies in mind, I am interested in unpacking experiences and perception of automatic speech recognition (ASR), which sits at the core of voice-enabled technologies. I look into fairness in voice-AI in relation to domain-specific language data across groups to more effectively address questions of accent bias built into their design. My work aims to contribute to promoting sociolinguistically equitable and just approaches to ASR. 

I am particularly interested in contemporary soundscapes and voice AI, AI ethics, non-standardised speech, language ideologies, bodily semiotics, scale-making practices. I welcome opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations.

Qualifications

• DPhil, University of Oxford, 2016

Research

Research interests

• contemporary linguistic soundscapes
• voice AI and AI ethics
• language ideologies
• language modelling
• scale-making practices

Research overview

With a background in theoretical linguistics and sociophonetics, I am interested in language modelling and scale-making practices, particularly their embodied enactments, entanglement in network cultures and specific rearrangements of materials. I study both how sensorimotor capacities are entangled in bodily experiences and how they are embedded in their sociocultural and technological contexts. 

Combining theoretical work with data-driven approaches and use of specialist software (e.g. Praat, R, Python), I analyze speaking styles among transnational actors to understand how they go about localizing and extending themselves into multiple locations and how this impacts the connection between their conceptual and material worlds. Working with situated audio and audio-visual recordings collected during ethnographic projects, I examine how contemporary changes in sensory modalities influence adherence to linguistic norms and sociolinguistic innovation, and how this may impact group formation processes. This part of my work has served as a basis for my recently published book, Soundings and the Politics of Sociolinguistic Listening for Transnational Space (Bloomsbury Academic). To learn more about the book, have a look at an interview with me for CaMP Anthropology.  

My latest research focuses on voice AI technologies and aims to understand how such technologies are transforming human sociolinguistic capabilities of action. With societal impact of such technologies in mind, I am interested in unpacking experiences and perception of automatic speech recognition (ASR), which sits at the core of voice-enabled technologies. I look into fairness in voice-AI in relation to domain-specific language data across groups to more effectively address questions of accent bias built into their design. My work aims to contribute to promoting sociolinguistically equitable and just approaches to ASR. I've recently given talks on voice AI for Birkbeck's Critical AI lecture series, University of Vienna's seminar series on language and AI. 

I am particularly interested in contemporary soundscapes and voice AI, AI ethics, non-standardised speech, language ideologies, bodily semiotics, scale-making practices. I welcome opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations.

I welcome opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations.

Supervision and teaching

Supervision

I welcome enquiries from prospective PhD students who are interested in undertaking research in any of my areas of research interest. I am particularly interested in projects on language ideologies, soundscapes, voice AI, societal impact of language technologies, intersectional sociolinguistics, linguistic norm adherence/innovation.

Teaching

At Birkbeck, I teach BA modules in advanced introduction to linguistic theory and contemporary and global English (variation and change), and a new MA module AI, language and social justice offered across the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. I also contribute to a range of team taught modules, e.g. Empirical Research Skills Training Workshop, Reading Transnational Cultures. Finally, I am the Programme Director for the new BA English and/with Linguistics and School Education lead for Postgraduate Taught Degrees.

Prior to Birkbeck, I supervised, assessed and taught BA and MA courses and projects in sociolinguistics and phonetics and phonology at the University of Oxford (2019-2021, 2014-16), where I was a lecturer and Fulford Junior Research Fellow at Somerville College (2020-22). I have also taught modules in text design, language and media and contemporary English as a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Brighton (2017). 

Additionally, I have been invited to conduct a range of seminar sessions, public lectures and classes internationally, most recently on voice AI for BIDA's Critical AI lecture series or University of Vienna's seminar sessions on language and AI. 

Publications