Invitation

[Dennis R. Preston]

Colleagues,

I hope you will put up with my posting this invitation. Please get in
touch with us if you are interested.

dInIs



Call for Papers:

Quantitative Sociolinguistic Studies of Indigenous Minority Languages
Edited by James N. Stanford and Dennis R. Preston
Michigan State University

This anthology will explore language variation in indigenous minority
language groups. Such lesser-known languages have rarely been the
focus of quantitative (variationist) sociolinguistic research, so
this anthology will promote a more diverse and inclusive perspective
on the understanding of language variation. We will present a wide
range of studies that can be placed side-by-side in order to
highlight both the similarities and differences in language variation
processes among such underrepresented languages and cultures. In this
way, the anthology can serve as a platform for examining universal
sociolinguistic tendencies across cultures and at the same time
perhaps isolate new aspects of the study of language variation,
allowing us to ask what aspects of current sociolinguistic models may
need to be reconsidered in light of lesser-known languages and
cultures.

To this end, we are seeking papers with a focus on quantitative
(variationist) sociolinguistic research in indigenous minority
language communities. Specifically, we are looking for research
studies that use quantitative sociolinguistic approaches (in the
"Labovian" tradition) rather than qualitative, ethnographic work. The
studies will focus on language variation and change with regard to
both influential linguistic and social factors but will not be
descriptive accounts only of the grammars or ethnographic settings of
such languages, although we recognize that some such material may be
necessarily included to give readers a sufficient understanding of
both the linguistic and social detail to appreciate the contribution.

By "indigenous minority languages" we refer to ethnic groups that are
(a) indigenous to a specific region, (b) a minority language or a
language dominated by another (or others) in that region, and (c)
linguistically and culturally divergent from the majority group. We
favor studies about minority groups whose languages are relatively
insulated from the effects of majority groups so that unique
characteristics of indigenous language sociolinguistics may be
investigated, although we are aware of the fact that many interesting
aspects of such languages are embedded in language contact situations
and do not exclude such accounts automatically.

Timetable:
April 30, 2006: Deadline for receiving notices of an interest in
contributing a chapter
May 31, 2006: Deadline for an abstract of the proposed chapter (PDF
files of 500 words or less)
December 31, 2006: Deadline for receiving completed chapter manuscripts
March 1, 2007: Completed manuscript sent to the publisher

Publication plans:  The anthology will be submitted to John Benjamins
Publishing Company for their series "IMPACT: Studies in Language and
Society."  They have indicated a strong interest during preliminary
discussions.
Please send an e-mail notice of your interest in contributing a chapter to:

James Stanford
stanfo23 at msu.edu
Department of Linguistics and Languages
Wells Hall A-614
Michigan State University
E. Lansing, MI  48824-1027
--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of English
Morrill Hall 15-C
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1036 USA
Office: (517) 353-4736
Fax: (517) 353-3755

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