33.3172, Calls: Semantics/Germany
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Wed Oct 19 06:46:51 UTC 2022
LINGUIST List: Vol-33-3172. Wed Oct 19 2022. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.
Subject: 33.3172, Calls: Semantics/Germany
Moderators:
Editor for this issue: Everett Green <everett at linguistlist.org>
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Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2022 06:46:30
From: Jozina Vander Klok [vanderjo at hu-berlin.de]
Subject: Workshop on Modality in underdescribed languages: Methods and insights
Full Title: Workshop on Modality in underdescribed languages: Methods and insights
Date: 20-Apr-2023 - 22-Apr-2023
Location: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany
Contact Person: Jozina Vander Klok
Meeting Email: vanderjo at hu-berlin.de
Linguistic Field(s): Semantics
Call Deadline: 09-Jan-2023
Meeting Description:
Modality in underdescribed languages: Methods and Insights
Past research on modality from a diverse set of languages have made
significant contributions towards developing a cross-linguistic typology of
modal expressions. Within this typology, one front is on identifying and
accounting for expressions of modal force. In addition to the expression of
possibility and necessity, empirical insights from St’át’imcets (Rullmann et
al. 2008; Davis et al. 2009), Gitksan (Peterson 2010), Nez Perce (Deal 2011),
and Washo (Bochnak 2015), among other languages, have shown that modal markers
can also have variable force—albeit analyzed as due to different semantic or
pragmatic mechanisms. A related front is on identifying and accounting for the
expressions of modal strength (e.g., weak necessity or strong possibility).
Data from various languages have shown that languages tend to have
grammaticalized expression(s) for weak necessity modality, such as a
lexicalized expression, the use of counterfactual morphology, or unique
dedicated morphology (see, e.g., von Fintel and Iatridou 2008, Rubinstein
2014, or Vander Klok and Hohaus 2020), but it is less clear what may be the
cross-linguistic typology for other expressions of modal strength. Another
front within this typology is on modal flavour, such as epistemic, as based on
one’s knowledge, or deontic, as based on rules or regulations. Despite the
many different labels within this front, research on diverse languages have
shown languages tend to grammaticalize specific types (e.g. Narrog 2012,
Gluckman and Bowler 2020), as well as that evidentiality can be connected to
epistemic modality (e.g., Faller 2002; Matthewson et al. 2007).
Other work on diverse languages has also advanced our cross-linguistic
understanding of the interaction of modality expressions in other areas of
research, such as with temporality (e.g., Chen et al. 2017; Rullmann and
Matthewson 2018), with mood (e.g., Rech et al. 2018), on semantic and
pragmatic pathways of change (e.g., Bybee et al. 1994; Narrog 2012), and on
the syntax-semantics of epistemic vs. root modality (e.g., Nauze 2008,
Hacquard 2010).
This past scholarship on modality has shown that strictly translation-based
studies is not sufficient, and that we have many resources to approach the
study of modality in a more principled manner. In this workshop, we want to
bring together and investigate the methods used in approaching the study of
modality and its interaction, and especially from the perspective of working
on underdescribed languages.
Call for Papers:
We invite papers on the topic of modality in underdescribed languages, with a
focus on either (i) a specific methodology suited or adapted to research on
modality or (ii) a case study of modality on an underdescribed language,
highlighting the method(s) used. We particularly welcome papers on this topic
using a comparative perspective (cross-linguistic and/or comparing
methodologies). Presentations will be 20 minutes followed by 10 minute Q&A
sessions. A poster session may be added. Submissions are limited to two per
author, of which at most one paper may be single-authored.
We invite further papers beyond the workshop contributors that address
questions such as:
- What are the necessary or important combinations in methodological pluralism
for studying (aspects of) modality?
- How are challenges or potential pitfalls avoided in using multiple methods?
- What are the empirical insights of modal expressions within an understudied
language and how do these results inform the current typological picture?
- What are the empirical insights of a specific type of modal expression
(e.g., weak necessity, or root modality) across different languages, and how
do these results inform the current typological picture?
- What are crucial diagnostics needed to tease apart theoretical accounts of
similar descriptive data?
- What are the ingredients of a discourse context to study an aspect of
modality?
Methodological approaches. The contributors each present a particular method
for studying modality, but ultimately, we argue that methodological pluralism
is key for describing and accounting for expressions of modality in a given
language. We invite further papers that introduce a method beyond those
discussed, and we also invite papers that address the use of methodological
pluralism. (See above questions)
Empirical insights from case studies. The workshop contributors present
results from diverse languages providing empirical results of the modal
expressions within an understudied language and (i) relating it to the current
typological picture, (ii) identifying and comparing the contributions of
different methods or of various diagnostics, or (iii) identifying specific
discourse contexts for studying an aspect of modality. We invite further
papers on these topics. (See above questions)
In addition to the open Call for Papers - Workshop contributors (based on
chapters within Modality in underdescribed languages: Methods and insights
(eds. Vander Klok, Rech and Guesser). To appear in November 2022. Mouton de
Gruyter (Trends in Linguistics Series): Berlin.
Theme I. Contributions of different methods for studying modality
1. Fieldwork techniques in semantics. Luiz Fernando Ferreira (Federal
University of Roraima) and Ana Müller (University of São Paulo)
2. Studying modality through targeted storyboard constructions. Zahra Kolagar
(Fraunhoffer ISS) & Jozina Vander Klok (Humboldt University of Berlin)
3. Discourse contexts targeting modality in fieldwork: Lessons from conducting
the modal questionnaire. Jozina Vander Klok (Humboldt University of Berlin)
4. Using corpus methods to Iinvestigate modal-temporal Interactions – Daniel
Reisinger, Hotze Rullmann and Lisa Matthewson (University of British Columbia)
5. Methods for studying modality in language acquisition – Ailís Cournane
(NYU) and Valentine Hacquard (University of Maryland)
Theme II. Lessons from case studies on underdescribed languages
6. On semantic fieldwork and a description of modality in Ye’kwana. Isabella
Coutinho Costa (State University of Roraima) and Ana Pessotto (Federal
University of Rio de Janeiro)
7. Studying modality in contextual elicitation and spontaneous texts: A case
study of Atayal. Sihwei Chen (Academica Sinica)
8. Collecting data in a contact situation: Modality in Lung’le. Ana Lívia
Agostinho (Federal University of Santa Catarina) and Núbia Ferreira Rech
(Federal University of Santa Catarina)
9. Modal clitics in ʔayʔaǰuθəm: Diagnosing modality, strength, and flavor.
Marianne Huijsmans (University of British Columbia)
10. The semantics of desires and obligations in Mapudungun: How to produce
discourse contexts. Pablo Fuentes (Universidad Católica de la Santísima
Concepción) (will not be able to present due to fieldwork)
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