That human languages are constantly evolving is an undeniable fact. By now, theories have become very apt at dealing with linguistic variation and change. But the reality is that populations are in constant flux, socially and linguistically. Much of what used to be considered “internally caused change” might perhaps more appropriately have to be considered as contact-induced on the level of contact between varieties of a single diasystem. This realization turns the faithful stable transmission of linguistic features where it does occur into an urgent explanandum. Different linguistic subfields have responded to this in different ways, and many questions still need to be addressed.
- Within the field of typology, the question of diachronically and cross-linguistically more stable traits of languages has been put on the agenda mainly by the work of Johanna Nichols (Nichols 1992).
- From a markedness point of view, inflectional classes apparently needlessly complicate morphological systems and lead to the expectation that they should be diachronically unstable (e.g. Wurzel 1989). The fact that this is empirically not confirmed is in need of explanation (e.g. Lass 1990).
- While there is no question that language contact may induce change (e.g. Thomason & Kaufman 1988), it has only more recently been noted that there may also be linguistic stability in spite of language contact, and that it may, in some cases, even be contact-induced (e.g. Trudgill 2011, Braunmüller et al. eds. 2014).
- A further question that has not yet satisfyingly been answered is why, given the same or similar input conditions in different languages, some linguistic changes never happen, or, once initiated, stall (e.g. Weinreich, Labov & Herzog 1968, Labov 1994; 2001).
- More recently, the related question of whether there can be such a thing as stable variation in language, and how it interacts with language change has been added to the research agenda (e.g. Wallenberg 2013, Fruehwald & Wallenberg in prep).
- It is unclear what the influence of type and token frequency is on keeping certain properties diachronically stable. On the one hand, research on grammaticalization has indicated that highly frequent items are more likely to grammaticalize, and therefore, low frequency of usage might be expected to favour stability. On the other hand, highly frequent elements often resist analogical change, so in this sense, ‘low frequency items’ are expected to be more prone to change.
- Finally, the role of extra-linguistic factors such as normative pressure in keeping linguistic phenomena constant should be studied more systematically, and with an eye on interaction with the language internal factors mentioned above.
The workshop takes place on 28 June 2016, the day before the start of DiGS 18. Its goal is to bring together researchers from different areas of linguistics to discuss the determinants of diachronic stability from their individual perspectives, with the aim of fostering dialogue between them.
Keynote speakers:
- Sheila Watts (Cambridge)
- Joel C. Wallenberg (Newcastle)
Topic and Theme
– The objective of this course is to familiarize students with the linguistic theory and methodology of constructionalization in comparison to those of grammaticalization.
– The course will include as much exercises as time will allow, and will be taught in English.
– Participants are assumed to be acquainted with basic concepts and notions of linguistics, and in particular with the domain of historical linguistics.
Lecturer
Prof. Dr Elizabeth Closs Traugott (Stanford University)
Elizabeth Closs Traugott is Professor Emerita of Linguistics and English at Stanford University. She obtained her PhD in English Language at the University of California at Berkeley in 1964. After receiving her PhD, she taught at the University of California, Berkeley, University of Dar-es-Salaam, and York University before settling at Stanford University in 1970. There she served as chair of the Department of Linguistics and as Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies. She is world renowned for her work on historical linguistics, especially grammaticalization, subjectification and constructionalization. Her current research focuses on (i) ways to bring the theories of construction grammar, grammaticalization and lexicalization together in a unified theory of constructionalization, (ii) the development of pragmatic markers at left and right periphery of the clause and on ways to define “periphery”.She held a Guggenheim fellowship and a fellowship at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. She was President of the International Society for Historical Linguistics in 1979, of the Linguistic Society of America in 1987, and of the International Society for the Linguistics of English in 2007-2008. She is currently a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy, and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.Her publications include the following books: A History of English Syntax (1972), Linguistics for Students of Literature (1980; with Mary L. Pratt), On Conditionals (1986; co-edited with Alice ter Meulen, Judith Snitzer Reilly, and Charles A. Ferguson), Approaches to Grammaticalization (1991; co-edited with Bernd Heine, 2 volumes), Grammaticalization (1993, 2nd much revised ed. 2003; with Paul Hopper), Regularity in Semantic Change (2002; with Richard B. Dasher), Lexicalization and Language Change (2005; with Laurel J. Brinton), Gradience, Gradualness and Grammaticalization (2010; co-edited with Graeme Trousdale), The Oxford Handbook of the History of English (2012; co-edited with Terttu Nevalainen), and Constructionalization and Constructional Changes (2013; with Graeme Trousdale).
The 18th Diachronic Generative Syntax conference will be held in Ghent, Belgium, from 29 June to 1 July 2016. The conference is co-organised by the research groups DiaLing and GIST (Department of Linguistics at Ghent University).
DiGS 18 is dedicated to the historical and comparative investigations of syntactic phenomena and language change from a generative perspective.
We will also host a separate workshop on diachronic stability on 28 June 2016.
Important dates:
15 January 2016 deadline for abstracts15 March 2016 notification of acceptance15 May 2016 early registration deadline29 June – 1 July 2016 conference
Abstract submission is through EasyChair.
Invited speakers DiGS18:
- Elly van Gelderen
- Cecilia Poletto
- Ioanna Sitaridou
Invited speakers workshop on Diachronic Stability:
- Sheila Watts
- Joel Wallenberg
Organizing Committee:
More information under www.digs18.ugent.be or via the organisers.
The conference “The Language(s) of the Papyrus Archives” will be held at the conference center KANTL (Koningstraat, Ghent) on 18 September 2015.
The conference focuses on the linguistic approach of (documentary) papyri, and on papyri preserved in papyrological archives in particular.
It has a multilingual scope with contributions about Greek, Demotic and Latin.
It not only presents scientific results of scholars working within the field of the linguistic study of papyri, but it also aims to discuss the potential of this relatively new subdiscipline.
Programme
10.00-10.30 Coffee
10.30-10.45 Welcoming speech (Delphine Nachtergaele, Ghent University)
10.45-11.30 Bilingual documents in Greco-Roman Egypt (Willy Clarysse, KU Leuven)
11.30-12.15 Some Aspects of the Language of Individuals and Social Groups in Zenon Papyri (Trevor Evans, Macquarie University, Sydney)
12.15-13.30 Lunch
13.30-14.15 Further observations on senders, scribes and language (Hilla Halla-aho, University of Helsinki)
14.15-15.00 DIA in the Archive of Basil the Pagarch (VIII AD) (Klaas Bentein, Ghent University)
15.00-15.45 Digital Humanities and the future of linguistic papyrology (Mark Depauw, KU Leuven)
Registration
Attendance of the conference is open to the public. A fee of €25 is asked for coffee & tea and lunch; therefore advance registration is necessary. If you plan to attend, please inform the organizers (Delphine.Nachtergaele@UGent.be)
Om de nieuwe website Dialectloket feestelijk te presenteren, organiseert het WVD op zaterdag 10 oktober een Dialectendag in de Openbare Bibliotheek Gent Zuid, waarop we u graag van harte willen uitnodigen!
Sommigen onder jullie hebben er misschien al van gehoord, anderen hebben er als vrijwilliger aan meegewerkt of het is helemaal nieuw, maar het Dialectloket is een feit: een nieuwe website van de Gentse dialectologen over taalvariatie en dialectologie. Op zaterdag 10 oktober, tijdens de Week van het Nederlands, gaat www.dialectloket.be online en dat willen we niet onopgemerkt laten voorbijgaan. Daarom organiseert het WVD in samenwerking met de Openbare Bibliotheek Genteen hele namiddag activiteiten rond onze dialecten, voor jong en oud!
Programma
Alle activiteiten vinden plaats in de Openbare Bibliotheek Gent Zuid (Graaf Van Vlaanderenplein 40, 9000 Gent). Als volwassene kunt u een activiteit volgen terwijl uw kind aan een jeugdactiviteit deelneemt. Maak uw keuze uit het programma:
Voor volwassenen (Achilles Musschezaal):
- 13.30 – 14.00 uur: voorstelling van de website www.dialectloket.be en het project Stemmen uit het verleden (verzameling van meer dan 750 dialectopnames uit de jaren 60 en 70).
- 14.00 – 15.00 uur: lezing van professor J. Van Keymeulen over dialecten
- 15.30 – 16.30 uur: comedy met Piv Huvluv
Voor kinderen (6-12 jaar) (Jeugdafdeling):
- 14.00 – 15.00 uur: workshops over dialecten
- 15.30 – 16.30 uur: meezinguurtje met volkszanger Erik Wille
Alle activiteiten zijn gratis. Inschrijven is niet nodig.
Meer info op www.dialectendag.ugent.be
Dialectloket
Op de Dialectendag wordt het wetenschapspopulariseringsproject Dialectloket gepresenteerd aan het grote publiek. Dialectloket is een nieuwe aantrekkelijke website van de dialectologen van de Universiteit Gent, die ontwikkeld werd om de variatie in onze Nederlandse taal te illustreren. Alle vormen van taalvariatie komen daarbij aan bod: dialecten, jongerentaal, tussentaal, Nederlands in België en in Nederland, Nederlands in de wereld enz. Onder een frisse lay-out vind je er onder andere informatieve teksten, digitale woordenboeken, honderden geluidsfragmenten, boeiende video’s en prachtige taalkaarten. Voor leerkrachten Nederlands voorziet de site bovendien een educatief luik vol tips en lesideeën.
Stemmen uit het verleden
De blikvanger van het Dialectloket is ongetwijfeld de collectie Stemmen uit het verleden. Meer dan 750 bandopnames uit de jaren 60 en 70 van spontane gesprekken met goede dialectsprekers werden de voorbije jaren gedigitaliseerd. De banden werden opgenomen in 550 plaatsen verspreid over heel Vlaanderen, bij sprekers geboren rond 1900. Niet alleen taalkundig zijn de opnames interessant; ze vormen ook een erg waardevolle collectie van levensverhalen en unieke getuigenissen uit de vorige eeuw. Om die prachtige verhalen te ontsluiten, zetten meer dan 50 vrijwilligers zich in om van elke opname een korte inhoud te typen. Die maakt het mogelijk om de gesprekken gemakkelijk mee te volgen én om bepaalde thema’s (bv. Eerste Wereldoorlog) op te zoeken in de opnames.
For a large part of the twentieth century, linguistic variation has received little attention. With the work of William Labov and others, however, heterogeneity in language again became a topic of interest: within the newly founded discipline of sociolinguistics, scholars have investigated the correlationship between linguistic variants and contextual variables such as age, gender, social class, social distance, etc. In actual language use, however, variants (and to some extent, variables) do not occur in an isolated fashion; rather there is patterned heterogeneity. In this spirit, scholars have described the existence of various lects such as chronolects, dialects, idiolects, ethnolects, genderlects, regiolects, sociolects, technolects, etc. in a great number of languages.
The aim of this conference is to investigate varieties of Post-Classical and Byzantine Greek, a topic of considerable interest among various members of the Greek section at Ghent University. Whereas some research has been done in this area, aspecially when it comes to Post-Classical Greek (e.g. Janse 2007 on New Testament Greek, Horrocks 2007 on levels of writing, Torallas-Tovar 2010 on Greek in Egypt, Nachergaele 2015 on idiolect, Bentein 2015 on register), a more systematic discussion of these varieties has yet to take place – despite the great potential of our Post-Classical and Byzantine sources.
The organisers invite all Greek linguists to submit a one-page English abstract to varieties@ugent.be (please use a Unicode-based font for Greek text) by September 1, 2016 at the latest. Notification of acceptance will be given by the end of September. Next to the discussion of specific varieties, we consider the following issues of particular interest:
- What linguistic models can be used for the description and analysis of varieties?
- What is the relationship between different dimensions of variation, for example between the diachronic and the diastratic dimension?
- What role do idiolects play for the description of language variation?
- To what extent do non-congruent features (i.e. features belonging to different, or even opposed varieties) occur in texts?
- What is the relevance of and relationship between documentary and literary texts as sources of variety?
- At which linguistic levels (phonological, morphological, syntactic, lexical) can varieties be described?
Organizing Committee
- Klaas Bentein (UGent)
- Willy Clarysse (KU Leuven)
- Mark Janse (UGent)
- Bruno Rochette (ULg)
Keynote Speakers
- Geoff Horrocks (University of Cambridge)
- Martti Leiwo (University of Helsinki)
More info on the conference website.