37.687, Confs: The Role of Semantics in Syntax (United Kingdom)

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-37-687. Thu Feb 19 2026. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 37.687, Confs: The Role of Semantics in Syntax (United Kingdom)

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Date: 18-Feb-2026
From: Paul Elbourne [paul.elbourne at magd.ox.ac.uk]
Subject: The Role of Semantics in Syntax


The Role of Semantics in Syntax

Date: 20-Jun-2026 - 20-Jun-2026
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom

Linguistic Field(s): Semantics; Syntax

A one-day conference ‘The role of semantics in syntax’, is to be held
at Magdalen College, Oxford, on 20 June 2026. The aim of the
conference is to explore ways in which the syntax of a sentence might
be influenced by its semantics, in opposition to the traditional
Chomskyan conception of the autonomy of syntax. The conference is
inspired by two recent speculative developments: the revival of the
architecture of the grammar proposed by the Generative Semanticists,
which is seen in the ‘Meaning First Approach’ of Uli Sauerland and
Artemis Alexiadou; and the proposal by Paul Elbourne that syntactic
categories should be eliminated from linguistic theory, with their
work being done by semantic categories such as semantic types (‘A
program for eliminating syntactic categories’, Linguistic Inquiry,
Online First). But proposals for talks advocating smaller-scale
influence of semantics on syntax (or presenting arguments against such
influence) will also be welcome.
Accommodation in Magdalen College may be available to speakers for the
night of the conference; further details will be communicated to
speakers. Some funds are available for partial reimbursement of travel
expenses for speakers.
Invited speakers: Gillian Ramchand (Oxford), Uli Sauerland (ZAS).



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