conference call for papers

[Peter Austin]

Call for Papers

Conference on Language Documentation and Linguistic Theory: 75 years of
Linguistics at SOAS, 5 years of the Endangered Languages Project

7-8th December 2007 
School of Oriental and African Studies, London

In 2007 the Department of Linguistics at School of Oriental and African
Studies celebrates its 75th anniversary. Founded in 1932 as the first
department of general linguistics in Britain, the research carried out by
linguistics within the department has made a significant and lasting impact
on the fields of language documentation and description and linguistic theory. 

This conference commemorates both the 75 year tradition of linguistics
within the School and the 5th anniversary of the Hans Rausing Endangered
Languages Project, comprising the Endangered Languages Academic Programme
(ELAP), the Endangered Languages Archive (ELAR), and the Endangered
Languages Documentation Programme (ELDP).

The conference aims to bring together researchers working on linguistic
theory and language documentation and description, with a particular focus
on innovative work on underdescribed or endangered languages, especially
those of Asia and Africa. Our goal is to provide a forum to discuss the ways
that linguists and others, especially community members, can respond to the
current challenges to linguistic diversity and build on experiences of the past.

Themes:
1. implications of language documentation and description for linguistic theory
2. implications of linguistic theory for language documentation and description
3. experiences of language documentation and description and linguistic
theory at SOAS
4. new techniques and opportunities for documenting and describing languages
5. community-oriented outcomes of endangered languages research

Abstracts:
Abstracts are invited for 20-minute talks (plus 10 minutes of discussion) on
any of the themes identified above. Submissions are limited to one
individual and one joint abstract per author. 

Abstracts should take the form of a PDF document, submitted by email and
limited to one page (using 2.5cm margins on all sides and 12pt Times font)
including references, and a further one page of examples and data. Any
non-standard fonts should be embedded in the PDF document. Authors should
submit two versions of their abstract, one with their name and affiliation
included and a second without these details.

Abstract submissions should be sent electronically to abstract at hrelp.org.
The deadline for abstract submissions is 17th August 2007. Acceptance will
be notified by 30th August 2007 and a PDF comprising a 5-10 page outline of
the paper to be presented (including examples and references) will be due on
19th November 2007. We will print all the outlines of accepted papers in a
book that will be given to registrants at the conference.

Important dates:

Deadline for abstract submission: 17th August 2007
Notification of acceptance: 30th August 2007
‘Early bird’ registration deadline: 8th October 2007
Deadline for submission of 5-10 page outlines/Final registration deadline:
19th November 2007
Conference: 7-8th December 2007

Conference fees:

Early bird registration (by 8th October 2007)
- full  £ 45
- student/unwaged £ 25

Registration (19th November 2007)
- full £ 60
- student/unwaged £ 35

Registration includes conference pack (including a book of paper outlines),
morning/afternoon teas.

Conference dinner 7th December 2007 £ 25


Further details and conference registration forms will be available in
August at http://www.soas.ac.uk/departments/departmentinfo.cfm?navid=892. 

All other enquiries should be directed to Jacqui Freeman: conference at hrelp.org.