[lg policy] Linguist List Issue: Regional Varieties, Language Shift and Linguistic Identities

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Message1: Regional Varieties, Language Shift and Linguistic Identities
Date:09-Jul-2012
From:Gertrud Reershemius g.k.reershemius at aston.ac.uk
LINGUIST List issue http://linguistlist.org/issues/23/23-3000.html 



Regional Varieties, Language Shift and Linguistic Identities 

Date: 12-Sep-2012 - 15-Sep-2012 
Location: Birmingham, United Kingdom 
Contact: Gertrud Reershemius 
Contact Email: LSS_RVC at aston.ac.uk 
Meeting URL: http://www1.aston.ac.uk/lss/research/centres-institutes/interland/regional-varieties/ 

Linguistic Field(s): Sociolinguistics 

Meeting Description: 

The Aston Centre for Interdisciplinary Research into Language and Identity (InterLand) and Institute for the Study of Language and Society (ISLS) to host:

Regional Varieties, Language Shift and Linguistic Identities 
Aston University, 12-14 September 2012

Plenary Speakers: 

Prof. Joan Beal, University of Sheffield (UK)
Prof. Barbara Johnstone, Carnegie Mellon University (USA)
Prof. Yaron Matras, University of Manchester (UK)

Regional varieties have become an important contributor to identity construction processes, and an increasingly important issue for the individual and the community in late Modernity: the individual is under constant and increasing pressure to define who s/he is and has to choose from an ever growing pool of possibilities to construct social identity in an increasingly globalized world, which is perceived as incomprehensively complex. By referring to what is seen as traditional regional language, dialect and culture, localizing oneself seems to be a viable way out of this dilemma. This should have stabilizing effects on lesser used varieties, which have been facing a gradual process of language shift and divergence towards dominant contact languages over the hundred years. Unfortunately, at the same time, modern life does not so much require knowledge of regional varieties as of standard languages and a good command of English as the global lingua franca. How can an upwardly!
  mobile individual combine the requirements of modern life with identity construction on a regional scale if they so choose? What are the linguistic consequences for lesser used varieties and their respective contact languages? 
Regional Varieties, Language Shift and Linguistic Identities

Programme

Wednesday, 12th September

4.00- 5.30pm
Registration

5.30 - 6.00
Welcome by the conference organizers

6.00 - 7.00
Yaron Matras (University of Manchester)
The Afterlife of a Language: The journey of English Romani from community language to a discourse register

7.00 pm
Reception

Thursday, 13th September

8.30 - 9.30
Registration

9.30 - 10.00
Welcome by the Executive Dean		

10.00 - 11.00
Joan Beal (University of Sheffield)
Inc: The commodification of languages in the 'new economy'

11.00 - 11.30
Coffee

11.30 - 13.00
Paper sessions

13.00 - 14.00
Lunch

14.00 - 15.30
Paper sessions

15.30 - 15.45
Coffee

15.45 - 17.15
Paper sessions

Friday, 14th September
9.00 - 10.00
Registration	

10.00 - 11.00
Barbara Johnstone (Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh)
The History of Yinz: From areal distribution to regional identity

11.00 - 11.30
Coffee

11.30 - 13.00
Paper sessions

13.00 - 14.00
Lunch

14.00 - 15.30
Paper sessions

15.30 - 15.45
Coffee

15.45 - 17.15
Paper sessions

7.00
Conference Dinner

While the delegates are dining: music by East West Fusion.

The evening entertainment includes:
John Edgar:  Storyteller  
Fizzog :  A  Black Country  Theatre Group.
Dave Reeves: Musician, poet and storyteller.
Billy and Lozz: Performers of original Black Country Dialect Folk Songs. 

Saturday, 15th September

Excursion: Black Country Museum


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