[Discussion] Fwd: CONF./CFP- Foundation for Endangered Languages, Nov. 2005, South Africa

[Sule Tarakcioglu]

CONF./CFP- Foundation for Endangered Languages, Nov. 2005, South Africa

Call for Abstracts:

FEL IX - Creating Outsiders: Endangered Languages, Migration and
Marginalization

The Foundation for Endangered Languages: Ninth Conference
Stellenbosch, South Africa, 18-20 November 2005

Today's world-maps, political and linguistic, were laid out through human
population movements, some ancient but some of them very recent.  In this
year's conference we want to address the effects of these movements on
language communities: how they dissolve communities, and change their
status; how communities may re-form in foreign places, and the relations
between incomers and the established populations, whichever has the upper
hand; the impact of empires, deportation, mass immigration, population loss
from emigration. Remembered migration histories may be relevant to the
modern self-image of communities.  Internal migration by dominant-language
speakers into the territories of minorities may lead to the marginalization
of others /in situ/; and minorities often decamp to the dominant centres
under various pressures.

The UN has declared a second International Decade of the World's Indigenous
Peoples. The languages we talk about will be very varied, and likely to
include the languages of communities all over the world. Some of them are
spoken by indigenous communities, which have become a minority on their own
original territory due to the immigration of a dominant majority group. This
kind of marginalization is very common, and notable examples include the San
languages in South Africa, the Ainu language in Japan and many pre-Hispanic
languages in California. It plays a major role in the current civil disorder
in Nepal. In some cases, endangered languages may have gone into their own
world-wide diapora: such is the case of Plautdietsch, language of the
Mennonites, who emigrated to many places (Siberia, Canada, Mexico,
Paraguay), where often their language became marginalised.

Marginalization can, however, result from a variety of causes: a state
policy of forced assimilation, military domination, religious conversion,
the wish for social betterment, attendance at boarding schools, etc. We
shall look at how both the State and communities can address the causes of
marginalization, and of course its effects on the survival and development
of languages.

Besides the international dimension, this year's location in South Africa
will give members an opportunity to get acquainted with many of the local
linguistic issues, among them the position of Khoe and San, the past and
future of Afrikaans, but also the Makhuwa-speaking ex-slaves from Durban,
the Phuthi speakers from Eastern Cape, and no doubt many others.

Issues that may arise include:

  - Why are migration histories so treasured as sources of language 
identity?
  - Do language-communities always (or ever) have better prospects of
    survival in their home territories than when transplanted?
  - Can language-communities on their home ground and in diaspora give each
    other effective support?
  - Can small language-communities create new identities in remote 
territories?
  - Can new communities resulting from migration or deportation establish a
    new quasi-indigenous identity based on a shared language?
  - What is the value of cultural resources for maintenance of status and
    active language use within endangered language communities?
  - Do technical media have a significant role in combatting or reinforcing
    marginalization?
  - Is it possible to reconcile the recognition of official languages with
    respect for a much larger number of indigenous languages?
  - Can minority and even endangered languages play an active role in a
    state's policy of multilingualism?

Local Site

The University of Stellenbosch is in South Africa's Western Cape, close to
Cape Town. It has had a Department of African Languages for more than half a
century (http://academic.sun.ac.za/african_languages); it has a Department
of General Linguistics (.../linguist/index_english.htm) and a Language
Centre (.../taalsentrum/index_engframeset.htm).

Abstract Submission

Abstracts should not exceed 500 words. They may be submitted in two ways: by
electronic submission, and alternatively on paper. Most simply, they should
be written in English. Other languages may also be accepted by prior
arrangement with the Conference Chair Nigel Crawhall <crawhall@mweb.co.za>
or FEL Chairman Nicholas Ostler <nostler@chibcha.demon.co.uk>

1) Electronic submission: Electronic submission (by 24 April 2005) should be
    as an attachment in Word, or simply as an email message to
    <crawhall@mweb.co.za>, with a copy to <FEL@chibcha.demon.co.uk>. Please
fill
    in the subject domain as follows: FEL_Abstract

The e-mail should also contain, in the following format:

NAME: Names of the author(s)
TITLE: Title of the paper
EMAIL: Email address of the first author, if any
ADDRESS: Postal address of the first author
TEL: Telephone number of the first author, if any
FAX: Fax number of the first author, if any
The name of the first author will be used in all correspondence.

2) Paper abstracts: Three copies should be sent (to arrive by 1 May 
2005) to:

FEL IX Conference Admin
Foundation for Endangered Languages
172 Bailbrook Lane
Bath BA1 7AA
United Kingdom

This should have a clear short title, but should not bear anything to
identify the author(s).

On a separate sheet, enclosed in an envelope, please include the following
information:

NAME : Names of the author(s)
TITLE: Title of the paper
EMAIL: Email address of the first author, if any
ADDRESS: Postal address of the first author
TEL: Telephone number of the first author, if any
FAX: Fax number of the first author, if any
The name of the first author will be used in all correspondence.

(If possible, please also send an e-mail to Funmi Adeniyi
<FEL@chibcha.demon.co.uk> informing her of the paper submission. This is in
case the hard copy does not reach its destination in time. This e-mail
should contain the information specified in the above section.)

Oral presentations will last twenty minutes each, with a further ten minutes
for discussion. Plenary lectures will last forty-five minutes each. Authors
will be expected to submit a written paper with the full version of the
lecture for publication in the proceedings well in advance of the 
conference.

Important Dates

  - Abstract arrival deadlines - 24 April 2005 (e-mail); 1 May 2005 (by 
post)
  - Committee's decision 15 May 2005
  - In case of acceptance, the full paper should be sent by 31 Aug 2005.
    (Further details on the format of text will be specified to the authors)
  - Conference 18-20 November 2005


Foundation for Endangered Languages
Registered Charity: England and Wales 1070616
172 Bailbrook Lane, Bath BA1 7AA, England
Tel: +44-1225-852865
E-mail: nostler@chibcha.demon.co.uk
Web: http://www.ogmios.org



Distrib. by: Central-Eurasia-L - Announcement List for Central Eurasian 
Studies