LINGUIST List 6.660

Tue 09 May 1995

FYI: International Quantitative Ling Assoc (IQLA)

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1. Reinhard Koehler, International Quantitative Linguistics Association (IQLA)

International Quantitative Linguistics Association (IQLA)

In the last years, Quantitative Linguistics has undergone a rapid
and promising development, with respect to both theory and application,
and quantitative methods are constantly gaining importance in all
branches of language and text research.
The quantitative approach to language opens up important and exciting
theoretical perspectives, as well as solutions for a wide range of
practical problems, by introducing into linguistics the methods and
models of advanced scientific disciplines such as the natural sciences,
economics, and psychology. Quantitative mathematical methods (probability
theory, stochastic processes, differential and difference equations, fuzzy
logic and set theory, function theory etc.) are being applied to all
aspects of language and text phenomena, including the areas of
psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, dialectology, pragmatics, etc.,
and on all levels of linguistic analysis. In applied linguistic
disciplines, the quantitative approach is constantly gaining interest, e.g.
in the fields of natural language processing, machine translation,
language teaching, documentation and information retrieval.
In view of the growing number of scientists involved in, and research
on, theoretical and applied aspects of QL, an international forum for
information and cooperation in this field seemed highly desirable.

Therefore, on the occasion of the Second International Conference on
Quantitative Linguistics, QUALICO-2, which was held in Moscow, Russia,
at Moscow State University, in September 1994, the International
Quantitative Linguistics Association (IQLA) was founded.

At present, the IQLA Council consists of:
R. Koehler, University of Trier, Trier, Germany (President);
A. Polikarpov, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia (Vice-President);
S. Embleton, York University, Toronto, Canada (Treasurer);
P. Schmidt, University of Trier, Trier, Germany (Secretary-General);
N. Dar^cuk, O.O. Potebnya Institute of Linguistics, Kiev, Ukraine;
Ju. Krylov, St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University,
St. Petersburg, Russia;
A. ^Sajkevi^c, Institute of Russian Language,
Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia;
G. Sil'nickij, Smolensk Pedagogical Institute, Smolensk, Russia
(Council Members at large).

Purpose of the IQLA:
The purpose of the IQLA is to promote the development of all aspects of
quantitative linguistics and to stimulate worldwide communication
of scientists working in QL. In order to realize these objectives, the
Association publishes a newsletter, holds international conferences,
establishes chapters, and sponsors other activities consistent
with its objectives.

Address of the IQLA:
IQLA, Universitaet Trier, FB II, LDV, D-54286 Trier, Germany
e-mail: koehlerLDV01.Uni-Trier.de

Journal:
The official organ of the Association is:
 The Journal of Quantitative Linguistics
 Swets & Zeitlinger, P.O. Box 825,
 NL-2160 SZ Lisse, The Netherlands

Membership:
IQLA membership includes subscription to The Journal of Quantitative
Linguistics. The actual IQLA annual fees are:

 60 US $ (including JQL) for non-student members
 20 US $ for students
 200 US $ (including JQL) for institutions

(special fees for former Socialist countries and developing countries)

 -----------------------------------------------------------
Registration

Please, fill in and send this section to the President of the IQLA
(E-mail registration is welcome - we need, however, your signature.
Please make sure to send a signed copy of the registration form via
normal mail)

Full name:
Affiliation:
Address:
Membership type (full / student / institution / other [specify]):
Payment: (Credit card [Master Euro / Diners / Visa / AmEx] / Bank Transfer)
Signature:
 -----------------------------------------------------------

Constitution

' 1 Name
The name of this organisation will be "International Quantitative
Linguistics Association", abbreviated: IQLA. The organisation, if so
desired, changes its name through a vote of the membership.
' 2 Purpose
The purpose of the Association is to promote the development of theoretical
and applied Quantitative Linguistics and to stimulate
worldwide communication of scientists working in these fields. In order to
realise these objectives the Association publishes a newsletter,
holds international conferences, establishes chapters, and sponsors such
other activities consistent with the objectives as may be directed
by the Council.
' 3 Membership
The membership of the Association consists of individual members and of
corporate members. Individual members as well as corporate
members join the Association by application in a form prescribed by the
Council. The Council may also invite (appoint) Honorary
Members, who shall be invited to all Council meetings.
' 4 Organization
1. The elected members of the Council are the President, the Vice-
President, the Treasurer, the Secretary-General, and four Council-
Members at large. The principal editor of the Newsletter and the Chairman
of the Executive Committee shall be invited to all Council
meetings and shall be included in all Council Correspondence. All members
of the Council must be members of the Association.

2. The Council appoints such Committees as it finds necessary to carry out
the business of the Society or to further its objectives. Those
committees shall preferably be chaired by Council-Members. There shall be
at least three such committees:
 a. Meeting committee
 b. Membership and Chapters Committee
 c. Constitution Committee

3. Groups of individual members might form Chapters of the Association.
These Chapters might be formed on a territorial basis, on the
basis of common interests (topics) or as a combination of both. They may
either adopt the Associations's Constitution and By-Laws or
design their own. In the latter case the Constitution has to be approved by
the Council before the Chapter is officially established.
' 5 Elections
The President invites nominations for the election of all Council-Members.
He gives at least two months' notice through the Newsletter of
the Association of the closing date for the receipt of nominations.
Candidates must be members of the Association. They may be proposed
either by Council-Members or by any six members of the Association. No
nomination that is in accordance with the Constitution may be
refused, provided that the candidate agrees to stand. The form of the
ballot is decided by the Council. Officers are elected for one "term"
which is the period between the end of the business meeting held during the
International Conference mentioned in 6 and the end of the
business meeting at the following International Conference. Re-election is
possible for all officers.
' 6 International Conferences
International Conferences are held by the Association at intervals of
between 24 and 48 months. The President nominates, and the Council
elects, the Chairman of the Organization and the Chairman of the Program
Committee of the next International Conference.
Fees for the International Conferences are fixed by the local organizing
committee on consultation with the President. Any surplus of
Conference funds will become part of the funds of the Association, subject
to local laws.
' 7 Fees and Finances
The membership fee is proposed by the Council and decided by the Business
Meeting. It may differ for individual members and for
corporate members, for different types of individual and corporate members,
and for different countries. Chapter fees are decided by the
individual Chapters. A member who has not paid his dues before the end of
the current year will be deemed to have left the Association.
' 8 Newsletter
The Newsletter is distributed free of any charge additional to the
membership fee to all members of the Association, to their last known
address. The Editor is appointed by the Council. He is responsible for
implementing the directives of the Council.
' 9 Other Activities
In addition to the International Conferences, the Association may hold
conferences and seminars. The organization of any such meeting is
subject to directives by the President.
' 10 Amendment of the Constitution
If proposed by at least 10% of the membership of the Association, or by
vote of the Council, this Constitution may be amended by a
majority of two thirds of the votes, either at a business meeting of the
Council or by a written ballot. Proposals must reach the President at
least two months before the voting takes place.
' 11 By-Laws
In order to carry out the obligations as set forth in this Constitution and
to conduct the business of the Association, the Council shall adopt
by-laws. Those may be adopted, annulled, or amended by an affirmative vote
of at least 2/3 of the Council members. The Council shall
have the authority to interpret the by-laws.

By-Laws:

I. Duties of Officers
 a. The President chairs the Council meetings and the General Business
meeting to be held at all International Conferences. He nominates
candidates for the elections to the Council and submits a report on the
activities of the Association when he relinquishes his office. This report
will be published in the Newsletter. He represents the Association and
performs such other duties as usually pertain to this office.

 b. The Vice-President shall support the President in all his duties.
In the absence of the President, the Vice-President will perform the duties
of the President. The Vice-President shall chair one of the important
committees of the Association.

 c. The Secretary-General is the primary IQLA officer. He will keep the
minutes of all meetings, conduct the correspondencs of the Association, and
be responsible for executing the executive directives of the Council and
for advising the Council. In order to perform his duties, he may establish
an Executive Board and appoint members of the Board with the concurrence of
the President.

 d. The Treasurer is responsible for the administration of the funds of
the Association, as directed by the Council. He shall make a financial
report to the Association at the International Conference and present a
budget proposal for the coming term to the Council. The Council approves
with simple majority. The Treasurer is empowered in the name of the
Association to accept and hold funds and property, under the authority of
the President, to employ staff and to make contracts, subject to the
following restrictions:

 1. All major financial transactions shall be undertaken jointly
by the Secretary and the Treasurer. The Council shall decide the nature and
scope of such transactions as may be carried out by either of them
separately.

 2. The Treasurer shall cause proper books of accounts to be kept
with respect to all money transactions and liabilities of the Association.
The accounts shall be audited annually by two auditors appointed by the
Council.

 3. If conditions are attached to funds granted or donated to
theAssociation, the Treasurer must before accepting obtain the approval of
the President.

II. Voting and Conduct of Business
 Motions will be carried by a simple majority of eligible voters in
attendance if not stated otherwise in the Constitution. If a simple
majority of all members belonging to the Council deems the issue of
sufficient importance to warrant a full vote, the issue shall be presented
to all eligible voters and a mail-vote shall be conducted.
 Eligible voters for the Council meetings are all elected members of
the Council and the representatives of the Chapters and for the General
Business meeting all registered members of the Association. Chapters may
adopt rules for voting and conduct of business.

III. Elections
 The Founding Assembly of the Association elects a President, a Vice-
President, a Secretary-General, a Treasurer, and four Council-Members at
large to conduct the business of the Association until the first election
of the officers by the members of the Association.

IV. Establishing Chapters
 In order to facilitate intensive work and communication, the intensive
study of subdisciplines of Quantitative Linguistics as well as new
applications, and in order to adapt the work of the Association to local
conditions, Chapters may be established within the Association. A Chapter
should normally not extend over a territory larger than a country or an
area in order to keep meetings of its members easy. In one country or one
area there might, however, be several Chapters, distinct by either
territory covered or topic of specialization.
 Applications for the establishment of Chapters signed by at least 10
members of the Association should be sent to the President. The Council
decides about newly established Chapters. The application should include a
draft of the constitution and/or by-laws of the Chapter-in-Founding,
information on the founding members and on the boundaries of the proposed
Chapter (territory and/or topic-wise).
 Chapters may levy additional Chapter fees, which however, shall be
directly collected by the officers of the Chapters. These fees must not be
imposed before the Chapter has been approved and thereby chartered by the
Council. Members of the Chapters have to be members of the Association.