Profile

Dr. Andreas Opitz

Dr. Andreas Opitz

Research Fellow

Gerhard Helbig Professorship of German as a Foreign and Second Language
Geisteswissenschaftliches Zentrum
Beethovenstraße 15, Room 1201
04107 Leipzig

Phone: +49 341 97 - 37517

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Abstract

I am currently employed as a research scientist at the Herder Institute of the University of Leipzig in the DFG-funded project "Retention of linguistic surface information during reading in L1 and L2" (PI: Prof. Dr. Denisa Bordag).


As a psycholinguist I am particularly interested in the interface between grammar theory and psycholinguistics. 

I received my formal training in theoretical linguistics and psycholinguistics at the University of Leipzig, where I also wrote my dissertation, which dealt with the psycholinguistic processing of grammatical features, especially the concepts of morphological underspecification and subanalysis. 

For some time now, the acquisition of second languages and language processing in L1 and in L2 has been moving more into the focus of my research.

Professional career

  • since 05/2022
    Senior Researcher // Leipzig University at the DFG-funded project "Retention of surface linguistic information during reading in L1 and L2" (PI: Prof. Denisa Bordag)
  • 01/2020 - 04/2022
    Senior Researcher // Leipzig University at the DFG-funded project "Representation and Processing of Non-Finites in L1 and L2 German" (PI: Prof. Denisa Bordag)
  • 10/2019 - 12/2019
    Temporary professorship „German as a foreign language“Herder-Institut // Leipzig University
  • 10/2017 - 09/2019
    Research Associate // Leipzig University
  • 08/2012 - 09/2017
    Postdoctoral researcher & lecturer // Leipzig University

Education

  • 09/2006 - 07/2012
    Doctorate in Linguistics/Psycholinguistics (Dr.phil.)Leipzig University, Germany

As a psycholinguist I am particularly interested in the interface between grammar theory and psycholinguistics. 

 

For some time now, the acquisition of second languages and language processing in L1 and in L2 has been moving more into the focus of my research.


My areas of specialization are:

  • Psycholinguistics
  • Morphology
  • Morphological Processing
  • L2-Acquisition & L2-Processing
  • Mental Lexicon
  • Interface between Grammar Theory and Psycholinguistics
  • Statistics (using “R”)
  • Behavioral Experiments
  • Eyetracking



  • Retention of surface linguistic information during reading in L1 and L2
    Bordag, Denisa
    Duration: 05/2022 – ongoing
    Funded by: DFG Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
    Involved organisational units of Leipzig University: Gerhard-Helbig-Professur für Deutsch als Fremd- und Zweitsprache
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  • Representation and Processing of Non-Finites in L1 and L2 German
    Bordag, Denisa
    Duration: 01/2020 – ongoing
    Funded by: DFG Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
    Involved organisational units of Leipzig University: Herder-Institut
    show details

more projects

  • Bordag, D.; Münster, M.; Gruber, V.; Meller, L.-N.; Opitz, A.
    Handbuch synonymer grammatischer Mittel im Deutschen
    Hamburg: Buske. 2024.
    ISBN: 9783967694222
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  • Bordag, D.; Opitz, A.
    Zweitspracherwerbsforschung
    In: Altmayer, C.; Biebighäuser, K.; Haberzettl, S. (Eds.)
    Handbuch Deutsch als Fremd- und Zweitsprache. Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler. 2021. pp. 192–212.
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-476-04858-5_13
    show details
  • Opitz, A.; Bordag, D.; Furgoni, A.
    Morphosyntactic Underspecification Affects the Processing of Verbal Forms at Different Levels of Abstraction in L1 and L2 German.
    Bilingualism: Language and Cognition. 2024.
    DOI: 10.1017/S1366728924000282
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  • Bordag, D.; Gor, K.; Opitz, A.
    Ontogenesis Model of the L2 Lexical Representation
    Bilingualism: Language and Cognition. 2021. pp. 1–17.
    DOI: 10.1017/S1366728921000250
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  • Bordag, D.; Opitz, A.; Polter, R. M.; Meng, M.
    Non-native Readers Are More Sensitive to Changes in Surface Linguistic Information than Native Readers*
    Bilingualism. 2021. 24 (4). pp. 599–611.
    DOI: 10.1017/S1366728920000772
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more publications

I have taught numerous bachelor and master courses in psycholinguistics, grammar theory, and empirical methodology.


Topics included:

  • Introduction to empirical practice and empirical methodology
  • Introduction to statistics (quantitative methods)
  • Cognitive basis of language processing
  • Language disorders
  • Processing, understanding & production of language
  • L2 language acquisition and language processing in L2
  • Psycholinguistic research training (lab training)
  • Morphology of contemporary German
  • Lexicon and vocabulary in DaF/DaZ context
  • Grammar Theory