CFP

HLS1: Heritage Language Syntax

Utrecht University

Utrecht, Netherlands, March 12-13, 2020

Conference website	https://microcontact.sites.uu.nl/workshop-on-heritage-language-syntax/
Submission link	https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=hls1
Submission deadline	October 31, 2019

Topics: syntax heritage languages diachronic syntax change in contact

Grammars that develop under constrained input conditions provide a unique window into the mechanisms of language diachrony and language change.
Heritage languages have been the center of a vast number of studies over the last few decades. Some of these studies have focused on structural properties of heritage grammars in comparison to the baseline grammars (i.e. the languages spoken by first generation immigrants), with the aim of understanding whether the mechanisms of resolution of “optionality”, or more simply structural alternation, are common to all heritage languages or specific to the languages in contact.

This workshop will focus on heritage language syntax, with particular attention to the issue of structural optionality resolution in contact situations.

We welcome papers on heritage language syntax; papers addressing the following questions are particularly welcome:

- Is there true optionality in the language spoken by first generation immigrants?

- Are there phenomena that are more prone to optionality/change than others?

- Is optionality in the input always resolved by heritage speakers? How?

- What is the different behavior of verbal and nominal domain in heritage languages due to?

- Are there structural similarities or differences between heritage languages and creoles?

- Does the change in heritage languages reflect diachronic/endogenous change?

Submission Guidelines

Abstracts should be anonymous and no longer than two A4 pages, including references and examples, with margins of at least 2,5 cm, font size 11, single spaced. Submissions are limited to a maximum of one individual and one joint abstract per author.

Presentations will be 30 minutes, followed by 10 minutes for discussion.

List of Topics

Heritage language syntax
Change in contact
Heritage languages and creoles
Syntactic optionality
Heritage language syntax and diachronic syntax

Invited Speakers

Terje Lohndal
Maria del Carmen Parafita Couto
Maria Polinsky
Jason Rothman
Marit Westergaard

Venue

The conference will be held in Utrecht. Venue t.b.a.

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to microcontact@uu.nl

Organizing committee