Diachronic Generative Syntax 26 (DiGS26)

June 23, 2025 - June 26, 2025

https://www.ling-phil.ox.ac.uk/digs26

We are pleased to announce that the 26th Diachronic Generative Syntax conference (DiGS26) will be held at the University of Oxford (United Kingdom) from June, 23rd to June, 26th 2025.

Since its first edition in 1990, DiGS has established itself as the leading venue for the formal investigation of syntactic change in the generative framework. More information about the history (and near future) of this conference series can be found at http://walkden.space/digs/. There will be no parallel sessions, a now traditional format for DiGS, with the aim of fostering a collaborative atmosphere.

For the very first time, DiGS will be hosted by the Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics in Oxford. The conference will feature a half-day workshop entitled ‘Investigating diachronic syntax with less-documented and unwritten languages: methods and theory’, which will take place on June 23rd. The objectives of this workshop will be to discuss how to approach languages that do not boast a long or rich literary tradition and apply contemporary theoretical tools to study their syntactic evolution. The workshop’s keynote speaker will be Dr Jenneke Van der Wal, specialist in African languages and linguistics. For the workshop, we especially welcome proposals featuring underrepresented languages in the diachronic generative syntax tradition.

Invited speakers:

Anne Breitbarth (Universiteit Gent)
Pierre Larrivée (Université de Caen)
Ana Maria Martins (Universidade de Lisboa)
Jenneke van der Wal (Universiteit Leiden)

Organising committee:

Afra Pujol i Campeny (University of Oxford/British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow)
Marc Olivier (University of Oxford)
Anna Paradis (University of Oxford/Leverhulme Trust)

Contact: [email protected]

Conference website: https://www.ling-phil.ox.ac.uk/digs26

Submission instructions:

General information:

We invite abstract submissions for:
Oral presentations (30 minutes + 10 minutes for questions)
Workshop presentations (30 minutes + 10 minutes for questions)
Poster Presentations

The language of the conference is English, but submissions can focus on any language. Presentations should contribute to any aspect of diachronic generative syntax (e.g., syntactic change, or methodologies directly informing the field).

Please indicate in your submission whether you want your presentation to be considered for an oral and/or poster session, and whether it is for the workshop or for the general session.

Abstract format:

Abstracts should be anonymous and no longer than two A4 pages, including references and examples, in 12-point Times New Roman, with margins of at least 2,5 cm / 1 inch. Submissions for the conference are limited to a maximum of one individual and one joint abstract per author, independently from submissions for the workshop.

Submissions open: Sept. 9, 2024 - Jan. 27, 2025

Submit to this conference