Yoichi Mukai

Yoichi Mukai

Chair of Modern Languages Studies Department

Vancouver Island University

Welcome to my website

I am a linguist and the director of the Linguistic Research Laboratory who are interested in a range of data-driven research, with a focus on the empirical study of language through experimentation. My primary research interest lies in the underlying mechanisms of speech communication. Although speech is highly variable, speakers and listeners seem to communicate with ease. It is intriguing to study how the production of speech varies and how listeners cope with such variability. My LinguisTree is here.

“All Things Language: Linguistics of VIU”, the VIU Arts and Humanities Colloquium Series 2024

“Beyond Multilingualism: How Linguists Think and Talk about Language”, the VIU Arts and Humanities Colloquium Series 2021

Interests

  • Phonetics
  • Psycholinguistics
  • Pupillometry
  • Phonology-to-Orthography Consistency
  • Spontaneous Speech
  • L2 Pronunciation and Comprehension
  • Japanese Linguistics

Education

  • Ph.D. in Linguistics, 2020

    University of Alberta

  • M.A. in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies, 2014

    Carleton University

Skills

RStudio

Data Analysis and Visualization

Statistics

Generalized Additive Mixed-effects Model; Linear Mixed-Effects Model; Random Forest

Praat

The scientific analysis of speech in phonetics

Pupillometry

The measurement of pupil dilation over time

Latex

The production of technical and scientific documentation

Language

Japanese; English

Publications

Quickly discover relevant content by filtering publications.

Durational variability of spontaneous and read speech: Comparison between English and Japanese

The present work examines the cross-linguistic effects of speech style and phonetic reduction. Specifically, we focus on the durational …
Yoichi Mukai, Daniel Brenner, Benjamin V. Tucker (2025) Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics
DOI
Durational variability of spontaneous and read speech: Comparison between English and Japanese

Massive Auditory Lexical Decision

This article briefly introduces the Massive Auditory Lexical Decision database. Examples of analyses and investigations are briefly …
Benjamin V. Tucker, Matthew C. Kelley, Yoichi Mukai, Filip Nenadić, Scott James Perry (2024) In Nesi, H., & Milin, P. (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, 3rd Edition
DOI
Massive Auditory Lexical Decision

The role of phonology-to-orthography consistency in predicting the degree of pupil dilation induced in processing reduced and unreduced speech

The relationship between the ways in which words are pronounced and spelled has been shown to affect spoken word processing and a …
Yoichi Mukai, Juhani Järvikivi, Benjamin V. Tucker (2023) Applied Psycholinguistics
DOI
The role of phonology-to-orthography consistency in predicting the degree of pupil dilation induced in processing reduced and unreduced speech

Bidirectional cross-linguistic influence with different-script languages: Evidence from eye tracking

This study compared patterns of non-selective cross-language activation in L1 and L2 word recognition with different-script bilinguals. …
Jamie Taylor, Yoichi Mukai (2023) Applied Psycholinguistics
Source Document DOI
Bidirectional cross-linguistic influence with different-script languages: Evidence from eye tracking

Spontaneous Speech

Phonetic research investigates how speakers and listeners use speech to convey messages. The speech produced to encode a particular …
Benjamin V. Tucker, Yoichi Mukai (2023) Cambridge University Press
DOI
Spontaneous Speech
See all publications

Presentations

Quickly discover relevant content by filtering presentations.

The effect of reduction and orthographic consistency in an auditory repetition task

2025-12-07 12:00 AM Honolulu, Hawaii
Yoichi Mukai, Averi Alexandría Genandt, Benjamin V. Tucker
PDF
The effect of reduction and orthographic consistency in an auditory repetition task

Pupillometry-based measurement of L1 and L2 fluency: Pupil dilation as a proxy for cognitive fluency

2025-09-28 12:00 AM Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona
Yoichi Mukai, Benjamin V. Tucker

The role of fluency and rhythm in the assessment of task delivery

2025-09-27 12:00 AM Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona
Takayuki Konishi, Yoichi Mukai, Shungo Suzuki, Kyoko Hitomi , Ryuki Matsuura, Katsunori Kanzawa
PDF
The role of fluency and rhythm in the assessment of task delivery

Durational variability of spontaneous and read speech: Comparison between English and Japanese

2025-05-18 12:00 AM New Orleans, Louisiana
Yoichi Mukai, Daniel Brenner, Benjamin V. Tucker
PDF
Durational variability of spontaneous and read speech: Comparison between English and Japanese

Nihongo Kikusasaizu: A web-based audiovisual resource for teaching and learning Japanese

2021-08-18 12:00 AM University of Alberta (online), Edmonton
Hiromi Aoki, Jotaro Arimori, Yoriko Gillard, Yoichi Mukai, Seiko Roberts, Naoko Takei, Kaori Tanaka
See all talks

Projects

Manuscripts submitted or in preparation

Pupillometry-based mesurement of L1 and L2 fluency

Mukai, Yoichi. (in preparation)

Phonetic variability of stops and nasals in Japanese across a range of speaking styles

Mukai, Y., & Tucker, B. V. (in preparation)

Examining cognitive control in people with aphasia: Evidence from pupillometry

Mukai, Y., Wilson.C., Figeys, M., Suleman, S., Garcia, R., & Kim, E.S. (in preparation)

Teaching Experience

 
 
 
 
 

Chair of Modern Languages Studies Department

Modern Languages Studies Department at Vancouver Island University

May 2025 – Present Nanaimo, BC, Canada
 
 
 
 
 

Faculty - Japanese & Linguistics

Modern Languages Studies Department at Vancouver Island University

Aug 2019 – Present Nanaimo, BC, Canada

Japanese & Linguistics:

  • Basic Japanese I & II
  • Intermediate Japanese I & II
  • Introduction to Language and Linguistics
  • Language and Linguistics in Use
  • Introduction to Second Language Acquisition
 
 
 
 
 

Instructor - Phonetics

Department of Linguistics at the University of Alberta

Jul 2019 – Aug 2019 Edmonton, AB, Canada
 
 
 
 
 

Instructor - Phonetics

Department of Linguistics at the University of Alberta

Jul 2018 – Aug 2018 Edmonton, AB, Canada
 
 
 
 
 

Instructor - Conversational Japanese

School of Linguistics and Language Studies & Summer Institute of Language and Culture at Carleton University

May 2014 – Jun 2014 Ottawa, ON, Canada
 
 
 
 
 

Instructor - Elementary Japanese for diplomats

Interlanguages Language School, the Canadian Foreign Service Institute, the Learning Institution of the Global Affairs Canada

May 2014 – Jun 2014 Gatineau, QC, Canada
 
 
 
 
 

Instructor - Introduction to Japanese

Décanat de la formation continue et des partenariats (DFCP) à lˈUniversité du Québec en Outaouais

Sep 2012 – Dec 2012 Gatineau, QC, Canada
 
 
 
 
 

Instructor - Elementary to Advanced Japanese

Ottawa Japanese Language School

Sep 2010 – Dec 2014 Ottawa, ON, Canada

Additional Training

Visiting PhD student

Nagoya University Sep 2017 – Dec 2017

Spring Training in Experimental Psycholinguistics

University of Alberta May 2016 – May 2016

Linguistic Society of America Summer Institute

University of Chicago Jul 2015 – Jul 2015

Spring Training in Experimental Psycholinguistics

University of Alberta May 2015 – May 2015

Teachers of English as a Second/Foreign Language Program (TESOL)

Algonquin College Sep 2009 – Apr 2010

Contact