Leipzig Lectures on Language

May-October, 2021

 

Combinatorics

We are delighted to announce the Leipzig Lectures on Language 2021—a novel series of online talks on combinatorics in language, where visions in theoretical and experimental linguistics will be discussed in combination with cutting-edge empirical methods. The term combinatorics is used here as a cover term for the many definitions of combinatorial processes in the psycho- and neurolinguistics literature including compositionality, combination, composition, binding, merge, blending, etc.

 

Lecture Series

The Leipzig Lectures on Language aim to not just capture the current state of the field, but seek to highlight the directions into which junior scholars are currently moving forward. In regular intervals on Wednesdays always from 1 pm to 2:30 pm (UTC) between May 19 and September 29, 2021 every lecture will provide a platform for a so-called "tandem" of a senior and junior scientist to discuss questions concerning combinatorics in language.

In every session, a senior researcher will first briefly introduce prominent aspects of their theoretical framework related to combinatorics in language, while a junior researcher will then give a more detailed talk on their empirical work. This is then followed by a moderated discussion session to which the audience can contribute by asking questions directly on YouTube or on Twitter using the hashtag #LeipzigLang21.

The overall goal of this new lecture series is to provide answers to questions like: What information do we combine in language? Is this process domain-specific or domain-general? How does the brain support combinatorics in language? How does combination take place during language acquisition? What kind of cutting-edge empirical methods will bring us further? How can theory influence experimental linguistics and vice versa?

 

End-of-Year Symposium

The lecture series will finish with a virtual two-day symposium taking place on October 20 and 21, 2021.

This end-of-year event will aim to:

1. Find consensus across the different views presented during the online series.
2. Have two keynote speakers whose work is particularly relevant to the lecture series and hands-on sessions.
3. Offer hands-on workshops on advanced methodologies relevant to the combinatorics of language.
4. Come together in a poster session and a more informal gathering to exchange ideas on future research.

We hope that this will foster networking and collaborations, leading to new ideas on how to move the field forward.