Grand Challenge — The Challenges of Studying Natural Language

This month’s meeting was a discussion and brainstorm surrounding the challenges of capturing and analysing natural language. The goal was to identify pain points that prevent us from more fully incorporating this channel of communication into our research, and potential solutions that members of the group have or would like to learn. We covered practical challenges (e.g. capturing language in interaction and over time), conceptual challenges (e.g. what format, modality, or constraints are best for a given project), and methodological challenges (e.g. conducting time-dynamic and dyadic analyses).

Format

Discussion and brainstorm, using the ideas generated as a springboard for future, more targeted sessions such as methods workshops.

Agenda

• Introduction (5 min) — defining what we mean by “natural language”; overview of the types of challenge.
• Brainstorm challenges (breakout rooms, 20 min) — theoretical, conceptual, practical, and methodological.
• Collate the list (20 min) — organised by type of challenge to find where consensus lies, and prioritise those most relevant to the group.
• Discuss potential solutions (20 min) — chairs present approaches they are familiar with; others invited to share their expertise.
• Next steps (20 min) — activities to address these challenges (e.g. methods workshops), and relevant funding opportunities.
• Wrap-up (5 min).