36.3163, Confs: Workshop at SLE 2026: Microtypology: Zooming in to Get at the Big Picture (Germany)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-36-3163. Mon Oct 20 2025. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 36.3163, Confs: Workshop at SLE 2026: Microtypology: Zooming in to Get at the Big Picture (Germany)

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Date: 14-Oct-2025
From: Linda Konnerth [linda.konnerth at unibe.ch]
Subject: Workshop at SLE 2026: Microtypology: Zooming in to Get at the Big Picture


Workshop at SLE 2026: Microtypology: Zooming in to Get at the Big
Picture

Date: 26-Aug-2026 - 29-Aug-2026
Location: Osnabrück, Germany
Contact: Linda Konnerth
Contact Email: linda.konnerth at unibe.ch
Meeting URL:
https://societaslinguistica.eu/sle2026/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/10/Workshop_cfp_SLE2026_Microtypology.pdf

Linguistic Field(s): General Linguistics; Typology

Submission Deadline: 17-Nov-2025

Organizers: Linda Konnerth (University of Bern), Sandra Auderset
(University of Bern),
Sergey Say (University of Potsdam)
Please send your abstract of max. 300 words by Monday, November 17th,
to any of us:
linda.konnerth at unibe.ch; sandra.auderset at unibe.ch; serjozhka at yahoo.com
Linguistic typology as a discipline has focused heavily on universally
applicable contrasts from which generalizations about language(s) and
language change can be derived. Based on this line of inquiry, a
subfield has emerged that focuses on developing methods for ‘balanced’
sampling and deriving universally valid generalizations (see Bakker
2010, Miestamo et al. 2016 for overviews, and Himmelmann 2000 for a
critique).
In contrast, typological studies drawing on small samples - especially
those with strong genealogical and/or areal biases - have
traditionally been viewed as less relevant to general typological and
theoretical questions (see also Kibrik 1998). Yet small-scale samples
are well-suited for investigating explanations for typological
distributions drawing on the complexity of grammatical systems,
socio-cultural contexts, and links to historical events.
In this workshop, we invite an open discussion on what can be referred
to as microtypology: zooming in to small-scale samples in order to
achieve a higher resolution for asking ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions of
typological distributions. Such small-scale samples involve languages
that share many variables thanks to a common genealogical, areal, or
socio-cultural core. This achieves higher explanatory power for
variables that do differ, in line with the ‘language laboratory’ idea
(cf. Moulton 1962; De Vogelaer & Seiler 2012; Yang 2022). Moreover,
microtypological research can effectively address phenomena that are
confined to specific areas or families and do not easily fit within
broad typological definitions (Arkadiev 2014; Konoshenko 2014;
Shluinsky 2017).
Dense samples including many related varieties help counter-act the
bias towards standard varieties in current typology (De Vogelaer &
Seiler 2012). Microtypologists are, or closely collaborate with,
experts/primary fieldworkers on the sample languages, allowing for
higher-quality data collection and analysis, which ideally includes
spontaneous language use. A diachronic thrust is typical as zooming in
on nascent grammatical changes is crucial for examining the evolution
of typological diversity. In-depth analyses facilitate the discovery
of grammatical interactions (Heath 2016, 2018). Similarly picking up
on Heath’s (2016) call for more integrative efforts, microtypology
offers opportunities for interdisciplinary approaches. Generally, the
targeted variables in microtypology can be defined bottom-up,
databases can better adhere to late aggregation and modularity
principles, allowing for enhanced reusability and sustainability.
These properties of this type of approach can be loosely characterized
by the family resemblance principle. Different studies exhibit
different ones, and there may be no single study that exhibits all of
them simultaneously.
1. Empirical depth
Microtypological research emphasizes high-quality data and offers a
complementary “vertical” dimension to the “horizontal” dimension of
macrotypology: to offer more depth where macrotypology offers more
breadth (cf. König 2025).
Dense sampling: Samples are defined by a priori shared features among
the varieties, such as genealogical, areal, or socio-cultural factors
and aim at covering all varieties that meet the inclusion criteria.
Such fine-grained samples extend beyond standard varieties (Murelli &
Kortmann 2011), sometimes reaching the level of individual villages
(Adamou & Sobolev 2024). The shared features also enable the discovery
of meaningful correlations between variables (Noorlander et al. 2025).
Such ‘language laboratory’ conditions (De Vogelaer & Seiler 2012)
increase the explanatory power of qualitative and quantitative models.
Higher-quality data: Typically, data are specifically collected for
the purpose of a particular study. Grammatical descriptions may serve
as reference works rather than data sources. Ideally, the data include
less elicitation and more naturalistic data (e.g., Haig et al. 2024).
By focusing on authentic language use rather than abstracted systems,
microtypology can capture inherent variation and usage patterns.
Close collaboration with language experts: The reliance on language
experts/primary fieldworkers enhances data quality in terms of
accuracy, integration with the broader language system, and
contextualization with respect to language history and contact
(Koptjevskaja-Tamm 2010; Khachaturyan et al. 2025).
2. Integration
Microtypology can achieve integration between (i) diachrony and
synchrony; (ii) target variables and their language-specific
grammatical context; and (iii) linguistic and extralinguistic
variables/interdisciplinary methodologies. By examining the
configurations that condition and constrain grammatical changes we can
study the evolution of typological diversity (cf. Bisang 2004, Evans
2016).
Diachrony: Synchronic typological distributions arise from diachronic
processes (Greenberg 1978; Bybee 1988; Bickel 2007). Due to the
complex interactions between linguistic and extralinguistic factors,
the higher resolution that microtypology offers provides an effective
strategy for working towards an explanatory framework (cf. Heath
2018).
Grammatical interactions: Linguistic phenomena are best studied in
their grammatical context with particular attention to systemic
interactions between them (Heath 2016, 2018). This is also a key
insight of construction grammar approaches (Noël & Colleman 2021).
Interdisciplinary approaches: Including extralinguistic factors
(Hildebrandt et al. 2023) and taking interdisciplinary approaches
(e.g. with anthropology (Bickel & Gaenszle 2015); or sociolinguistics
(Dobrushina 2025) can yield higher adequacy. Integrating insights and
methodologies from dialectology and variationist sociolinguistics can
advance this agenda (De Vogelaer & Seiler 2012).
3. Data collection and database design principles
The focus on developing fine grained, bottom-up variables and modular
data sets makes it possible to explore a variety of research questions
based on the same data set (e.g. Auderset & Konnerth 2025).
Actual forms: By incorporating actual forms and constructions instead
of only relying on abstract features, the potential for data re-use
increases (e.g., historical linguistics studies or integration of
corpus measures such as frequencies).
Bottom-up variables: By developing variables in a bottom-up fashion,
they are revised and expanded during data collection in order to
capture variation instead of relying on pre-defined top-down
categories that might miss important aspects of the phenomenon in
question.
Late aggregation: Aggregation during data collection can be avoided
more easily, allowing to instead focus on fine-grained variables that
go beyond the specific phenomenon at hand (this follows AUTOTYP design
principles, see Witzlack-Makarevich et al. 2022). The data can then be
aggregated and summarized later on to answer specific questions. This
contributes to a high re-use potential and sustainability of the data
sets.
Modular database design: If different data sets are built
independently implementing a common design and structure (cf.
Witzlack-Makarevich et al. 2022), as facilitated through a
microtypological approach, they can be expanded on and combined
depending on the research question and thus work towards a systemic
approach to language (e.g. combining data from corpora and grammars;
looking at the prosody and constructional nature of a phenomenon,
etc.).
With this workshop, we aim to bring together researchers working on
different families, areas, or phenomena to discuss shared goals within
this type of framework. Our rationale is that microtypological
approaches can generate valuable insights for some of the most
pertinent questions in typology. We invite contributions that present
case studies and/or discuss conceptual and methodological issues.
Full CfP with references on
https://societaslinguistica.eu/sle2026/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/10/Workshop_cfp_SLE2026_Microtypology.pdf



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