[Ura-list] The 12th Changing Language Day, Workshop "Contact-induced changes in syntax" 4.11.16, Tartu

[Helle Metslang]

*The 12^th Changing Language Day* will be held at the University of 
Tartu Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics on November 4, 2016.

  At the traditional theme day we welcome contributions presenting 
different approaches to language change and variation: language change 
at present day and in history, in written and spoken language, in 
different registers, at different levels of language, influenced by 
language-internal and language-external factors; consequences of 
language change; data and methods, theoretical backgrounds and 
applications of studying language change and variation.

  The programme includes a general session and workshops.

  If the number of contributions exceeds the planned programme, we will 
consider extending the duration of the event. The working languages of 
the seminar are Estonian and English.

Workshop proposals (up to 8 talks per workshop) should be sent by 
*September 12* to organizing committee member Kirsi Laanesoo at 
kirsi.laanesoo at ut.ee <mailto:kirsi.laanesoo at ut.ee>. The list of 
workshops will be announced on September 16.

  On behalf of the organizers we propose a workshop on *contact-induced 
changes in syntax *(organized by Helle Metslang and Anne Tamm) and a 
workshop on *Internet language* (organized by Tiit Hennoste).

  Abstracts for talks should be sent by *October 7* to Kirsi Laanesoo at 
kirsi.laanesoo at ut.ee <mailto:kirsi.laanesoo at ut.ee>. Abstracts should 
also include the information on whether the submission is for general 
session or one of the workshops. Notification of acceptance will be sent 
by October 14.

  Organizers Helle Metslang, Ilona Tragel, Katre Õim


*Workshop "Contact-induced changes in syntax"*

Convenors Helle Metslang, Anne Tamm

  12^th Day of Language Change

  November 4^th , 2016, Tartu

  Finno-Ugric languages have long-standing contacts with other 
languages. These contacts have left their traces in the syntax of these 
languages. Estonian and Hungarian have undergone changes under the 
influence of Indo-European languages such as Germanic and Slavic. 
However, the time scale of influences on these two languages diverges, 
which allows us to view the impact on linguistic structures over time. 
Whereas the diachronic changes affecting Hungarian and Estonian are 
relatively well documented, various other Finno-Ugric languages are 
still a challenge for scholars. The contact-induced change in those 
languages is more complex. Many lack the factor of Germanic impact 
altogether. Rather, only Russian influences them, and the rapid changes 
can be observed in real time. Finnic languages have long-standing 
contacts with other languages of the Circum-Baltic area. And finally, it 
is English that influences all languages in the era of globalization. It 
is interesting to witness diverging languages changing to incorporate 
English structures into their syntax.

The workshop concentrates mainly on contact-induced change and variation 
in Finno-Ugric syntax. We are seeking answers for questions such as

  * Which changes emerge as a result of language contact?
  * What counts as evidence for a change that has come about via
    language contact?
  * Can we distinguish specific areas of language structure that are
    more or less prone to contact-induced change?
  * What are the factors that enhance or thwart contact-induced change?
  * How to investigate the unidirectional and bidirectional nature of
    contact-induced change?

The workshop is organized by the participants of the Hungarian-Estonian 
project “Contact-induced change in Finno-Ugric languages”.

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