Methods in Dialectology is a triennial conference that has traditionally alternated between Canada and Europe. Originally a forum for methodological issues in dialect research, the conference has progressively extended its range of topics to include not only regional but also historical and social variation in language. Methods XVIII will take place for the first time in Australia, 1-5 July 2024 at the Bundoora campus of La Trobe University in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. The theme for Methods XVIII is Diversity in Dialect and Language.
We are delighted to announce the following plenary speakers:
- Jane Simpson, Roy Barker and Alison Mount (Australian National University)
- Jane Stuart-Smith (University of Glasgow)
- Rebecca Starr (National University of Singapore)
We invite submissions for paper and poster presentations, as well as proposals for workshops and special sessions.
Call for Proposals for Workshops and Special Sessions
Workshops and special sessions will be held throughout the conference. Workshops may focus on data, methods or technologies, while special sessions may focus on (groups of) languages/dialects or a particular topic. Proposals should consist of an overview of the topic and its relevance to the conference (no more than 500 words) and a list of contributions (4-8 per workshop or session) and abstracts of no more than 500 words for each contribution. Organisers of workshops and special sessions are responsible for soliciting and peer-reviewing contributions prior to submitting their proposal by 30 November 2023 to methodsxviii@gmail.com. Notifications of acceptance will be sent out by the beginning of January 2024.
Call for Papers
We invite abstracts for oral presentations (20 minutes plus 10 minutes discussion) and poster presentations (including a 5-minute presentation in the poster pitch session). Abstracts, which must be anonymous and not exceed 500 words (excluding references), should clearly state the research question, data, methods and results. Please submit an anonymous PDF to https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=methods18 by 15 January 2024. When submitting, specify whether you would prefer your abstract to be considered for acceptance as a paper, poster, or either. Authors may submit two abstracts if at least one abstract is co-authored. Notification of acceptance will be sent out in early March 2024, by which time information about travel, accommodation and registration will be made available.
For more information, visit the conference website (https://www.latrobe.edu.au/events/all/methods-in-dialectology-xviii) or contact the organising committee at methodsxviii@gmail.com.
We look forward to seeing you in Melbourne!
The local organising committee:
James Walker (La Trobe University)
David Bradley (La Trobe University)
Chloé Diskin-Holdaway (University of Melbourne)
Felicity Meakins (University of Queensland)
Celeste Rodriguez Louro (University of Western Australia)
Catherine Travis (Australian National University)
