TiBAS2019: A workshop on
Grammatical Variation: Tibeto-Burman Agree(ment) System Centre for Endangered Languages, Sikkim University Gangtok, Sikkim, India, November 10-12, 2019 |
Conference website | https://sites.google.com/site/centreforendangeredlanguages/ |
Submission link | https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=tibas2019 |
Abstract registration deadline | October 16, 2019 |
Submission deadline | October 16, 2019 |
It is an accepted fact that a language is not a monolithic substantive but a heterogeneous entity characterised by variations at different levels of structure and organisation as well as in its usage. In the realm of linguistics, variation is considered not as ungrammaticality, rather a distinguishing factor in dialectal studies. With the advent of sociolinguistics, the variation studies, however, were mostly confined to sociolinguistic approaches. On the other hand, with the advancement in the field of theoretical linguistics, the study of morphological and syntactic variation has emerged as an important area of research to address issues of variability and our growing understanding of Universal Grammar and its interface properties. At the same time, the study of endangered languages has potential to contribute significantly to our understanding and approaches to language.
The Tibeto-Burman verb agreement follows a different principle than in the Indo-Aryan and other language families. Apart from Controller-Target feature sharing, TB languages also exhibit a variety of ways in which agreement features are combined and shared, and the languages vary in this regard in principled ways. One of the typologically known characteristics is “pronominalisation” i.e. participant indexing in many Kiranti languages; person hierarchy for agreement in Bhujel, etc. These languages, which are spoken in Sikkim, NE region of India, Nepal and surrounding areas, are also indigenous endangered languages with a low level of documentation as well as grammatical research on them. At the same time, it is also observed that there is grammatical convergence between the TB and the IA languages of these regions.
This workshop aims at variations in agree(ment) system in various languages including Meeteilon, Nepali, Assamese, Hindi, Gurung, Bhujel, Magar, Sherpa, Koyee, Rai (formerly, Bantawa), Rokdung, Kulung, Sunuwar, Thulung, Tamang, and a host of other indigenous endangered TB languages of the region in different dimensions to agree(ment) from multiple perspectives like Descriptive, Minimalism, Exoskeletal, Distributed Morphology, Nanosyntax, etc. The workshop plans to have talks, discussions and hands-on sessions surrounding agree(ment) from the variation experts from India and abroad along with the native language linguists and/or speakers to stimulate healthy and fruitful discussion on the phenomena observed in the indigenous endangered languages. The workshop is an attempt to equip various researchers working under the Centre for Endangered Languages in various Universities as well as other researchers engaged in documentation and description of indigenous endangered languages.
Submission Guidelines
Centre for Endangered Languages, Sikkim University invites a two page write-up on various aspects of agree(ment) phenomena in the Tibeto-Burman and other language families in the areas of:
- Phonology
- Morphology
- Syntax
- Semantics
- Pragmatics
- Sociolinguistics
Committees
Organizing committee
- Samar Sinha
- Meiraba Takhellambam
- Hima S
Venue
The conference will be held in Gangtok, Sikkim, India
Contact
All questions about submissions should be emailed to
For queries: meiraba@gmail.com