CFP: Foundation for Endangered Languages 10 -- DEADLINE 18 APRIL 2006

[Scott G. McGINNIS]

Vital Voices: Endangered Languages & Multilingualism (FEL X) 

Date: 25-Oct-2006 - 27-Oct-2006 
Location: Mysore, Karnataka, India 
Contact Person: Mahendra Verma
Meeting Email: mkv1 at york.ac.uk 
Web Site: http://www.ciil.org, http://www.ogmios.org 
Call Deadline: 18-Apr-2006 

The Foundation for Endangered Languages: Tenth Conference in 
association with the Central Institute of Indian Languages, 
Mysore, India. 25-27 October 2006. This year's conference 
concerns the effects of multilingualism on smaller languages.

The Foundation for Endangered Languages, in association with 
the Central Institute of Indian Languages, will hold its 
annual 2006 conference in India, home of more than a 
thousand languages and dialects, and a consciously 
multilingual policy stance by the Government of India. 
Although many of these languages enjoy political and 
economic patronage, others are struggling to survive. Among 
these strugglers are the languages of the Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands, where communities are not only tiny, but 
also some of the most anciently independent tribes on the 
planet. The viability of many such small languages is 
threatened. 

This year's conference concerns the effects of 
multilingualism on smaller languages. A crucial question for 
this conference is how far poorly-conceived language 
planning policies may actually contribute to environmental 
imbalance and instability, dangers that are often very 
little understood. As we understand the effort to revitalize 
languages, this is no more than the support they need to 
develop in the face of new demands, including the increased 
bi- and multi-lingualism coming from globalization, 
urbanization and language contact. 
Some Issues for the Conference: 

We hope to discuss these issues in terms of actual language 
situations presented by our participants. 

- Are minority languages threatened, or strengthened, 
through bilingualism or multilingualism with other 
languages? Is it essential for the survival of a small 
language to sustain a minimum-sized core group of language-
dominant speakers? 

- What factors beside the prospect of competitive economic 
benefits can sustain language use in a community (and indeed 
re-orient the language planners)? 

- Is bilingual language planning important for families 
based on cross-cultural/linguistic marriages? More 
generally, what role is there for language planners in the 
future of a small language or dialect? Is language survival 
helped or hindered by a flexible policy in recognizing what 
languages are actually in use? 

- How significant are social networks for sustaining 'vital 
voices'? Does the context of a consciously multilingual 
society foster use of smaller languages? Is code-switching 
as common in small minority communities and tribes as it is 
in the elites? 

- How compatible is western-style formal education with 
traditional language use? Are there other models for 
transmission? 

- Are the prospects of minority languages affected by the 
metropolitan languages through which they may be known to a 
wider world? 

- Does a language's vitality benefit if it is not closely 
related, or structurally similar, to its neighbours? 

- Is language documentation the only feasible outside 
response to the needs of vital but vanishing voices? 

- How can modern - often cheap - technology benefit the 
smallest languages? 

'Vital Voices' refers to the growing awareness that the 
survival and development of endangered languages are 
necessary for humanity's future, however endangered they may 
look amidst the statistics generated for policy in our 
globalized economy. 
The Conference Venue 

The Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore, (CIIL) 
was set up by the Government of India in July 1969. It is a 
large institute with seven regional centers spread all over 
India, and is engaged in research and training in Indian 
languages other than English and Hindi. It helps to evolve 
and implement India's language policy and coordinate the 
development of Indian languages. Mysore is a city in the 
Southern Indian state of Karnataka. The former capital of 
the princely state of Mysore, ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty 
since the 14th century, it is now the administrative seat of 
Mysore District, the second largest in Karnataka, 135 km 
from Bangalore, the state capital. The city is known for its 
palaces and many other attractions. One of these is the 
Brindavan Gardens laid out beside the Krishnarajasagar dam 
(19km), particularly beautiful at night. There are also the 
Royal Palace, the Chamundi Hills, Srirangapatnam Temple, 
Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary, Oriental Research Institute, 
and Museums of Folklore, and of Art and Archeology. The 
conference dates (25-27 October) will allow participants, if 
they wish, to witness Diwali (the festival of lights) on 23 
October before coming to Mysore. A language-related 
excursion is planned for 28-29 October after the conference. 

Transport 

Bus: Mysore has inter-city and sub-urban public bus 
transportation. 

Rail: Mysore is connected to Bangalore to the northeast via 
Mandya, and to Hassan to the northwest, to Chamarajanagar 
via Nanjangud to the southeast. 

Air: The nearest accessible airport is at Bangalore. 
Submission of Abstracts 

If you would like to take part in our conference, please 
submit an abstract of your contribution. Abstracts should 
not exceed 500 words. They may be submitted in either of two 
ways: by electronic submission, or on paper. Most simply, 
they should be written in English. Other languages may also 
be accepted by prior arrangement with the Programme Chair 
Mahendra Verma mkv1york.ac.uk or FEL Chair Nicholas Ostler 
chibcha.demon.co.uk> 

1) Electronic submission: Electronic submission (by 18 April 
2006) should be as an attachment in Word, or simply as an 
email message to mkv1york.ac.uk, with copies to 
chibcha.demon.co.uk> and mallikarjunciil.stpmy.soft.net. 
Please fill in the subject domain as follows: 

FEL_Abstract 

The e-mail should also contain, in the following format: 

NAME : Names of the author(s) 
AFFILIATION(S): Institution(s) where the author(s) currently 
work 
TITLE: Title of the paper 
EMAIL: Email address of the first author, if any 
ADDRESS: Postal address of the first author 
TEL: Telephone number of the first author, if any 
FAX: Fax number of the first author, if any 

The name of the first author will be used in all 
correspondence. 

Note. The Conference announcement will also be placed on the 
net by CIIL at www.ciil.org with facilities for submission, 
and a step-by-step method of submission that will 
automatically send copies of the abstract as above. Dr. 
B.Mallikarjun of CIIL, Mysore (Tel: +91-821-2345007) will be 
the local point of contact for participants. 

2) Paper abstracts: Three copies should be sent (to arrive 
by 18 April 2006) to: 

Dr Mahendra Verma 
Dept of Language and Linguistic Science 
University of York 
York YO10 5DD 
United Kingdom 

fax +44 1904 432673 

This should have a clear short title, but should not bear 
anything to identify the author(s). 

On a separate sheet, please include the following 
information: 

NAME: Names of the author(s) 
TITLE: Title of the paper 
EMAIL: Email address of the first author, if any 
ADDRESS: Postal address of the first author 
TEL: Telephone number of the first author, if any 
FAX: Fax number of the first author, if any 
The name of the first author will be used in all 
correspondence. 

(If possible, please also send an e-mail to Mahendra Verma 
mkv1york.ac.uk informing him of the paper submission. This 
is in case the hard copy does not reach its destination in 
time. This e-mail should contain the information specified 
in the above section.) 
Important Notes for Authors 

Oral presentations (except for any selected to be keynote 
addresses) will last twenty minutes each, with a further ten 
minutes for discussion. Authors will be expected to submit a 
written paper with the full version of the lecture (up to 8 
pages A4), for publication in the proceedings, well in 
advance of the conference. Further details on the format of 
text will be specified to the authors. Authors (and other 
attendees) from outside India will also be required to 
inform the organizers in advance of the following details: 
Passport Number, Citizenship, Date and Place of Issue, for 
all who wish to be present during the conference. 
Important Dates 

- Abstract arrival deadline - 18 April 2006 
- Committee's decision - 30 April 2006 
- Informing authors - 8 May 2006 
- Conference Website with all abstracts - 15 May 2006 
- In case of acceptance, the full paper needs to be sent by 
31 August 2006. 
- Conference - 25-27 October 2006 

Foundation for Endangered Languages 
Registered Charity: England and Wales 1070616 
172 Bailbrook Lane, Bath BA1 7AA, England 
+44-1225-852865 nostlerchibcha.demon.co.uk 
http://www.ogmios.org