CFP: Variation and Typology

Wed Nov 3 10:41:00 UTC 2010

Sorry for cross-postings!
-- 
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Johanna Laakso
Universität Wien, EVSL Abteilung Finno-Ugristik
Campus AAKH Spitalgasse 2-4 Hof 7
A-1090 Wien
johanna.laakso at univie.ac.at | http://homepage.univie.ac.at/Johanna.Laakso/
Tel. +43 1 4277 43019 | Fax +43 1 4277 9430

------ Weitergeleitete Nachricht
Von: Seppo Kittilä <sepkit at utu.fi>
Datum: Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:19:48 +0200
An: <kitu at jyu.fi>
Betreff: [Kitu] Tiedoksenne: SKY:n symposiumi variaatiosta ja typologiasta

Terve!

Tässä kaikille seuraavan SKY:n symposiumin esitelmäkutsu. Ilmoitusta saa
vapaasti levittää eteenpäin.

Mukavaa syksyä kaikille,
Seppo

---

Variation and Typology: New trends in Syntactic Research

Helsinki, August 2527, 2011

In recent years, theoretical discussion around syntactic issues has been
characterized by a growing interest towards variation, both dialectal and
cross-linguistic. Typological considerations have proven to be essential
even for research on individual languages. On the other hand, detailed
studies of variation within languages (e.g. studies of dialectical
variation) and variation across closely related languages have attracted
more interest among typologists. One consequence of this has been that the
focus in dialect research has shifted from phonological and morphological
towards syntactic questions. Whether this will turn out to be a mere
adjustment in attention or a major paradigm shift, a broadened perspective
is welcome and also necessary. In order for new approaches to emerge, old
ones need to be combined in novel ways.

This symposium offers a forum for scholars interested in syntactic questions
within typology and variation (and combinations thereof) and willing to
contribute to this collective shift of focus. The goal of the symposium is
to approach the concept of variation from a broader perspective for gaining
new insights into what variation (in its different forms) can reveal about
language. Basically, variation can be seen both language-internal (e.g.
dialects, sociolects etc.) and cross-linguistic (typological
variation).There are numerous studies of both of these, but only quite
recently has there been real effort to combine these two aspects of
variation (e.g. Kortmann 2004, Nevalainen et al. 2006, Barbiers et al.
2008). Special attention will be given to the oft-neglected areas which fall
between the foci of linguistic typology and variation studies within syntax
when these are seen as separate fields of study. The question we would like
to be addressed is briefly: what do we gai
n by studying variation both within and across languages. Put another way,
what are the implications of variation studies and language typology to one
another?

We heartily welcome papers related to the overall enterprise. Possible
topics for talks include, but, as usual, are not restricted to, the
following:

 dialect syntax vs. syntactic typology: what is the relation between
cross-linguistic variation and dialectal variation?
 accounting for variation in syntactic theory: rigid rules, fuzzy
templates, or something else?
 implications of language variation to typological data selection &
research: what is the Œbest variant¹ of a language to be presented in
reference grammars? What are the consequences of relying on standard
language data in cross-linguistic research? And what is the significance of
having vs. not having variation data available to the grammarian?
 how to take into account variation in typological research in syntax?
- case studies of variation within and across languages (e.g. clause
combining, use of reflexive pronouns, possessive constructions, argument
marking, word order variations, etc. etc. within  and across languages)
- methodological contributions to variation: to what extent do we need
different machinery for dealing with different types of variation, and to
what extent are we dealing with ³just variation²?
- variation and marginal constructions: do we need a distinction between
core and periphery in grammar? Does this involve a distinction between
common and dialectal variants? Are certain constructions marginal both in
dialects and across languages?
- borderline between dialectal and typological variation: e.g. issues of
dealing with closely related languages, distinguishing between dialects vs.
languages, spontaneous vs. contact-induced variation, etc.
- qualitative methods in typology and dialect studies

For more information please visit the webpage of the symposium at:
http://www.linguistics.fi/variation

Invited speakers:

Balthasar Bickel (University of Leipzig)
Joan Bresnan (Stanford University)
Marja-Liisa Helasvuo (University of Turku)

Scientific committee

Sjef Barbiers (University of Amsterdam)
Hans Boas (University of Texas, Austin)
Hannele Forsberg (University of Eastern Finland)
Bernd Kortmann (University of Freiburg)
Ekkehard König (Freie Universität Berlin)
Michel Launey (University of Paris 7)
Silvia Luraghi (University of Pavia)
Jan-Ola Östman (University of Helsinki)
Cecilia Poletto (University of Padova)
Stéphane Robert (CNRS)
Anna Siewierska (University of Lancaster)
Jussi Ylikoski (University of Helsinki)

Organizing committee

Seppo Kittilä (University of Helsinki)
Aki Kyröläinen (University of Turku)
Meri Larjavaara (Åbo Akademi University)
Jaakko Leino (Research Institute for the Languages of Finland)
Alexandre Nikolaev (University of Eastern Finland)
Maria Vilkuna (Research Institute for the Languages of Finland)

Abstract submission

Please send your abstract to typ-variation /at/ helsinki.fi no later than
March 1, 2011. The length of abstracts should not exceed 500 words
(excluding data and references). Abstracts will be evaluated by the members
of the scientific committee and also by the organizing committee. Letters of
acceptance will be sent by March 31, 2011. The abstracts themselves must be
anonymous, but the body of the message should include the following
information:

Name of the participant
Title of presentation
Affiliation
E-mail address
Whether the paper is meant as a section paper, a poster, or a workshop

Workshops

The symposium will include a workshop on Finnish and Finnic dialect syntax.
Proposals for all workshops should be submitted no later than February 11,
2011. Notification of acceptance will be given by March 7, 2011. These
one-day workshops will run in parallel sessions with the main conference
program. Alternatively, the first day of the symposium may be dedicated to
workshops. The symposium organizers will provide the lecture rooms and other
facilities, but the workshop organizers will be responsible for the
organization of their workshops (choosing the speakers etc.).

Key dates:
 Deadline for abstract submission: March 1, 2011
 Notification of acceptance: March 31, 2011
 Proposals for workshops: February 11, 2011
 Notification of acceptance of workshops: March 7, 2011

Activities:

 Presentations by the invited speakers
 Presentations by other participants
 Posters
 Workshops

References

Barbiers, Sjef & Olaf Koeneman & Marika Lekakou & Margreet van der Ham
(eds.) 2008. Microvariation in syntactic doubling. Syntax and Semantics,
volume 36. Bingley: Emerald.
Kortmann, Berndt (ed.) 2004. Dialectology meets typology: dialect grammar
from a cross-linguistic perspective. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
Nevalainen, Terttu & Juhani Klemola & Mikko Laitinen (eds.) 2006. Types of
variation: diachronic, dialectical and typological interfaces. Amsterdam:
John Benjamins.

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