LINGUIST List 17.3581

Mon Dec 04 2006

Calls: Sociolinguistics, Typology/Germany

Editor for this issue: Dan Parker <danlinguistlist.org>

Directory         1.    David Gil, Workshop on Language Complexity as an Evolving Variable
Message 1: Workshop on Language Complexity as an Evolving Variable
Date: 01-Dec-2006
From: David Gil <gileva.mpg.de>
Subject: Workshop on Language Complexity as an Evolving Variable



Full Title: Workshop on Language Complexity as an Evolving Variable
Date: 12-Apr-2007 - 13-Apr-2007 Location: Leipzig, Germany Contact Person: David Gil
Meeting Email: < click here to access email >
Web Site: http://www.eva.mpg.de/~gil/complexity
Linguistic Field(s): Sociolinguistics; Typology

Call Deadline: 15-Dec-2006

Meeting Description:

Workshop on Language Complexity as an Evolving Variable.

Workshop on Language Complexity as an Evolving VariableMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzig, Germany, 12-13 April 2007

Final Call for Abstracts

There has been a widespread assumption that all human languages, past and present, are about equally complex (or are incommensurable in complexity), and that adult language users do not vary significantly in the complexity of their internalized language models. This idea survived the transition from 1950s' descriptive linguistics to the subsequent generative paradigm unscathed. Recently, many scholars have begun to question various aspects of this assumption, and to provide evidence against it. Arguably, some languages are more complex than others, and some individuals internalize more complex idiolects than others.

This workshop aims to provide a forum where these skeptical strands can be drawn together and tested by the research community. The workshop welcomes offers of papers either challenging or defending any aspect of the assumption of equal linguistic complexity. Abstracts for 30-minute oral presentations should be submitted in electronic form (preferably pdf, but MsWord also acceptable) to David Gil at the following address:

gileva.mpg.de

Deadline for submission of abstracts: 15 December 2006.

Decisions regarding acceptance/rejection of abstracts will be announced on or before 15 January 2007.

Further Information: http://www.eva.mpg.de/~gil/complexity/