Amsterdam, Meertens Instituut, July 9, 2018

Call for papers

Date: July 9, 2018
Venue: Oudezijds Achterburgwal 185, Amsterdam
Aula 2.18

Although syntax and phonology at first sight seem to study very similar objects – modules of human cognition involved with the form of language – the two disciplines seem to have grown apart, employing formal tools that differ radically.

According to some scholars, this is a logical and even desirable development, and a consequence of the methodological assumption that the mind is modular. There is then no need to believe that different ‘modules’ of grammar have a similar architecture or refer to similar objects. Others point out however, that it seems unlikely that modules that have such similar tasks and furthermore clearly have to interface would be so different.

What are the differences between syntax and phonology in terms of derivational mechanisms and representational devices? Are syntactic findings on the working of grammar still relevant to phonologists and vice versa? Do notions like constituency, features refer to ontologically similar objects or are they radically different?

On July 9, 2018, the Meertens Instituut will host a 1-day workshop on parallels between phonology and syntax. This workshop is organized in collaboration with the Leiden University Center for Linguistics and the Center for Language Studies of Radboud University. The workshop will take place right in the historical center of Amsterdam.

Invited speaker: Prof. Harry van der Hulst (University of Connecticut).

Call: Please submit an abstract of any length (at some point the reviewers might stop reading) for a 20 minutes talk to Marc.van.Oostendorp@meertens.knaw.nl before May 12, 2018, 14:00 CET. Notification of acceptance: May 20, 2018.

Organizers: Marc van Oostendorp (Radboud University) and Janet Grijzenhout (Leiden University).