LINGUIST List 15.2214

Tue Aug 3 2004

Calls: General Ling/Canada; General Linguistics

Editor for this issue: Marie Klopfenstein <marielinguistlist.org>

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Directory

  • nerbonne, Progress in Dialectometry: Toward Explanation
  • acangelosi, Connection Science

    Message 1: Progress in Dialectometry: Toward Explanation

     Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2004 07:51:03 -0400 (EDT)
    From: nerbonne <nerbonnelet.rug.nl>
    Subject: Progress in Dialectometry: Toward Explanation


    Progress in Dialectometry: Toward Explanation

    Date: 01-Aug-2005 - 05-Aug-2005 Location: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada Contact: John Nerbonne Contact Email: nerbonnelet.rug.nl

    Linguistic Sub-field: General Linguistics Call Deadline: 01-Oct-2004

    Meeting Description:

    Progess in Dialectometry will be a workshop at the Methods XII Conference on Methods in Dialectology, Aug. 1-5, 2005 at the Universit� de Moncton, New Brunswick. The workshop aims to feature original computational work in dialectolgy, and most particularly work aimed at explanations of dialectal facts and patterns in various languages.

    In dialectology computational techniques have brought improvement especially with respect to analytical tools, data archives, and the amount of data which can be subjected to analysis. The wealth of potentially competing methods, and the initial computational enthusiasm has also inspired careful examination and evaluation of competing methods and techniques with an eye to letting dialectology benefit maximally from the new technology.

    The purpose of this workshop is to bring researchers together who are working to harness computational power as a source of improvement in dialectology. Our focus is on dialectometry, e.g., the use of exact measurements to determine dialect differences and/or similarities, geographic or social distribution, or the incorporation of frequency analysis or psychological findings. This workshop continues an exchange begun at the Methods XI conference (and published as a special issue of ''Computers and the Humanities 2003 (3)) and aims to further this tradition of examining alternative techniques critically.

    The workshop is particularly interested in contributions demonstrating the utility of dialectometry in explaining linguistic variation, either with recourse to extralinguistic determinants (esp. geography), or on the basis of internal linguistic structure, e.g., the role of pronunciation versus lexis (vs. syntax, etc.), or the degree to which dialectal variation is linguistically regular.

    Prof. Hans Goebl, Salzburg, has agreed to speak as a keynote, and Literary and Linguistic Computing has agreed to publishing a selection of the papers in a special issue.

    Title: Progress in Dialectometry: Toward Explanation Organizers: John Nerbonne and Bill Kretzschmar Time: During Methods XII 1-5 Aug, probably at the end Place: Universit� de Moncton, New Brunswick

    Abstracts: 400 wd. plain (ascii or Latin 1) text to nerbonnelet.rug.nl Deadline: Oct. 1 for Abstracts

    Special: There may be two 750-Euro bursaries available to students (before the award of the PhD) whose papers are accepted. Note with your abstract if you wish to be considered for one of these (should they materialize).

    Acknowledgement: We are grateful to The Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing for support

    Message 2: Connection Science

     Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2004 10:49:13 -0400 (EDT)
    From: acangelosi <acangelosiplymouth.ac.uk>
    Subject: Connection Science


    Connection Science

    Call Deadline: 01-DEC-2004

    Call for Papers - Special Issue on: The Emergence of Language: Neural and Adaptive Agent Models

    Connection Science Journal

    - ------------------------------------

    Studies of the emergence of language focus on the evolutionary and/or developmental factors that affect the acquisition and auto-organisation of a linguistic communication system. Both language-specific abilities (e.g. speech, semantics, syntax) and other cognitive, sensorimotor and social abilities (e.g. category learning, action and embodiment, social networks) contribute to the emergence of language.



    Key research issues and topics in the area include:

    - Emergentism as an alternative to the nativism/empiricism dichotomy - Identification of basic processes producing language complexity - Grammaticalization and emergence of syntax - Emergent models of language acquisition - Evolution and origins of language - Pidgin, creole and second language acquisition - Neural bases of emergent language processes - Auto-organization of shared lexicons in groups of individuals/agents - Grounding of symbols and language in perception and action

    The main aims of this special issue are to foster interdisciplinary and multi-methodological approaches to modelling the emergence of language, and to identify key research directions for the future. Models based on neural networks (connectionism, computational neuroscience) and adaptive agent methodologies (artificial life, multi-agent systems, robotics), or integrated neural/agent approaches, are particularly encouraged.

    The submitted papers are expected to: (i) focus on one or more related research issues (see list above), (ii) explain the importance of the topic, the open problems and the different approaches discussed in the literature, (iii) discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the neural and adaptive agent approaches with respect to other methodologies (including experimental research) and (iv) present original models and/or significant new results. Review papers may also be considered.

    Invited Papers

    The special issue will include two invited papers, one from Brian MacWhinney (Carnegie Mellon University) and one from Luc Steels (VUB University Brussels and SONY Computer Labs Paris). The invited papers are:

    - Brian MacWhinney, "Emergent Linguistic Structures and the Problem of Time" (focus on neural network modeling)

    - Luc Steels, "Mirror Learning and the Self-Organisation of Languages" (focus on adaptive agent modeling)

    Submission Instructions and Deadline

    Manuscripts, either full papers or shorter research notes (up to 4000 words), following the Connection Science guidelines (http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/authors/ccosauth.asp) should be emailed to the guest editor (acangelosiplymouth.ac.uk) by December 1, 2004. Reviews will be completed by March 1, 2005, and final drafts will be accepted no later than May 1, 2005. The special issue will be published in September 2005.



    Guest Editor

    Angelo Cangelosi Adaptive Behaviour and Cognition Research Group School of Computing, Communication & Electronics University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1752 232559 Fax: +44 (0) 1752 232540 E-mail: acangelosiplymouth.ac.uk Web: http://www.tech.plym.ac.uk/soc/staff/angelo