36.528, Calls: Computational Linguistics, Discipline of Linguistics, Phonetics, Pragmatics, Text/Corpus Linguistics / Ireland

Sat Feb 8 04:05:02 UTC 2025

LINGUIST List: Vol-36-528. Sat Feb 08 2025. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 36.528, Calls: Computational Linguistics, Discipline of Linguistics, Phonetics, Pragmatics, Text/Corpus Linguistics / Ireland

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Date: 08-Feb-2025
From: Iker Erdocia [iker.erdocia at dcu.ie]
Subject: Disruption or Continuity? Machine Learning Technology (AI) in Linguistics Research (Workshop)

Full Title: Disruption or Continuity? Machine Learning Technology (AI)
in Linguistics Research

Date: 09-Jun-2025 - 10-Jun-2025
Location: Dublin City University, Ireland, Ireland
Meeting Email: iker.erdocia at dcu.ie

Linguistic Field(s): Computational Linguistics; Discipline of
Linguistics; Phonetics; Pragmatics; Text/Corpus Linguistics
Subject Language(s): English (eng)

Call Deadline: 28-Feb-2025

Call for Papers:
-Title: Disruption or Continuity? Machine Learning Technology (AI) in
Linguistics Research
- Co-editors: Iker Erdocia (Dublin City University), Bettina Migge
(University College Dublin) and Britta Schneider (European University
Viadrina)
Language technologies using machine learning have become ubiquitous in
all aspects of life, and research is no exception. Due to a largely
commercially driven agenda by a handful of big tech companies from
Silicon Valley, machine-learning technologies are marketed as enabling
the automatisation and simplification of tasks, thus making the
execution of processes more cost-effective and speedy. In the
particular realm of research, they are also marketed as providing
deeper insights into phenomena, for example allowing for new
understandings of a given area of inquiry and facilitating solutions
to overcome methodological limitations. Furthermore, machine-learning
technologies are opening up new research agendas both within existing
disciplines and in interdisciplinary collaborations, sometimes even
contributing to the establishment of new subdisciplines, such as
Computational Sociology.
Linguistics, the academic discipline dedicated to researching language
in all its facets, has not been immune to these developments. However,
the different subfields and research endeavours that collectively
constitute linguistics, broadly defined, have been affected by this
trend to varying degrees. For instance, early syntax research got
involved with the development of automatic, machine-based translation
desired by the US military in the Cold War context to fund its own,
fundamental research (Heller & McElhinny 2017). This engagement
eventually led to the emergence of computational linguistics as
computing resources became more accessible. However, much of syntactic
research has remained independent of extensive reliance on technology.
Phonetic and psycholinguistic research, in contrast, continues to
adopt all kinds of computer-driven instrumental methods to accurately
measure sound production phenomena and to expand the volume of
processing. Socially, but particularly, historically-based (e.g.
Piotrowski 2012) approaches to language have come to engage with the
trend comparatively late, but automatic computer-based text analysis
tools, increasingly driven by NLP approaches, and the focus on working
with large (written) corpora are becoming commonplace. While
theoretical approaches in linguistics have focused on abstract
representations of linguistic structures and autonomous systems of
relations to build rule-based models, many contemporary approaches,
such as the ones used in Corpus Linguistics, echo that understanding
of language by concentrating on textual data and machine-generated
outputs, often with computational tools (Migge et al forthcoming). A
separate branch of sociolinguistics, often referred to as
computer-mediated communication, specialises in user interaction and
the (written) outputs of communication technologies (e.g.
Georgakopoulou & Spilioti 2020). Additionally, computational
linguistics is dedicated to the automatic processing and analysis of
language. While it draws on knowledge from other areas, it has begun
forging stronger connections with some areas of linguistics (Opitz,
Wein, & Schneider 2024).
Despite the growing technologisalisation of language-based research,
there has been limited discussion about its impact on linguistic
research in (inter)disciplinary terms (e.g., aims, practices and
outcomes), including its epistemological and ontological dimensions.
For instance, technological tools are often assessed based on the
affordances they offer and the outputs they produce. However, little
attention is given in linguistic research to the design of these
tools, as well as the computational models and underlying
conceptualisation of language that underpin them. Moreover, the use of
technological tools is often presented as natural and inevitable, with
limited critical examination of why such tools are necessary,
justified and effective for the advancement of our area(s) of inquiry.
Discussions about the ways in which technologisation affects our
understanding of what constitutes research, e.g., the aims and
function of (linguistic) research, and how and to what extent this is
influencing existing understandings of language across linguistics,
are also scarce.
The aim of this special issue is to open up a dialogue both within
linguistics and across disciplinary boundaries. We seek to engage with
linguists from different subdisciplines (e.g., sociolinguistics,
phonetics, corpus linguistics, pragmatics, applied linguistics and
language documentation), including computational linguistics, while
also connecting with technology designers. However, our main goal is
to interpel the linguistic community and encourage critical reflection
on these issues. We propose to address some of the following
questions:
- Is this increased technologisation of linguistics leading to new
conceptualisations of language or is it serving to reinforce old ones?
- How do scholars with different epistemologies of language negotiate
the design, goals and scope of interdisciplinary projects that involve
language technologies?
- What is the role of humans in the linguistic research process?
- Are digital language technologies in this process seen as neutral
support for human-centred research activities?
- How do the ideological and commercial aspects of technology
influence the design, aims and intended impact of research in
linguistics?
- Do new training needs arise from these developments and how are
linguists engaging with these developments?
- What is driving the adoption of machine-learning technologies?
These are only some of the important issues of interest.
Contributors are asked to submit a 500-word abstract (excluding
references) to the guest editors: (iker.erdocia at dcu.ie,
bettinamigge at ucd.ie and BSchneider at europa-uni.de). Abstracts will be
evaluated based on their balanced representation of the different
subdisciplines within linguistics in the special issue and the overall
quality of their engagement with the proposed questions. Authors of
selected abstracts will be invited to present their papers at a
workshop that the co-editors will organise on June 9th and 10th at
Dublin City University. A limited amount of funding, generously
provided by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dublin City
University, may be available to cover the costs of in-person
participation. Additionally, a selection of contributors will be
invited to submit a full paper (3,000-4,000 words), which will undergo
peer review for inclusion in a special issue of the journal
Linguistics Vanguard. The contributors to the special collection
should follow the general submission guidelines for the journal
(https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/lingvan#callForPapersHeader).
For queries, please contact iker.erdocia at dcu.ie
Estimated timeline:
- Abstracts due by 28th February 2025
- Notification to authors by 15th March
- Oral presentation of paper at workshop in DCU (9th and 10th June)
- Full paper due by 5th of September
- Reviews to be completed by 1st of December
- Publication by February 2026

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