Embedded Files
The theme of ACAL 56 is “African Languages in Diaspora."
The 2025 host state, Minnesota, is the state with the highest percentage of its population born in East Africa (and the second-highest percentage of its population born in Africa), meaning it has a high proportion of both first-language speakers of African languages and heritage speakers. The conference theme celebrates this fact and provides a structured platform for conference talks that address any aspect of linguistic research concerning the African diaspora, including description or analysis of diaspora language varieties, conducting linguistic research in diaspora communities, conducting research as an African linguist living in diaspora, or any other topic that fits under this broad theme.
With this theme, we also seek to bring linguists into conversation with local speech communities from the African diaspora. Conference activities will include a panel of community language workers reflecting on their efforts to support African languages in diaspora; plenary talks; and a poster session that brings together refereed posters and posters highlighting community language efforts. These activities include:
Thursday, May 15 Events
Simanique Moody’s Plenary talk from 9:00 - 10:00 am in 216 Pillsbury Dr. Room 275
Samuel Akinbo's Plenary talk on Iconicity as a Motivation for Phonological Alternation from 2:00 - 3:00 pm in 216 Pillsbury Dr. Room 275
Friday, May 16 Events
Conference Banquet in Coffman Memorial Union, 6-10PM (see registration page)
Saturday, May 17 Events
Roundtable on African Language Teaching in the US, given by Leonard Muaka et al., from 11:15 am - 12:15 pm in Jones Hall
Roundtable on Citation and Attribution in African Linguistics, given by Hannah Gibson, Kyle Jerro, Anna Keaveny, and Savithry Namboodiripad, from 11:15 am - 12:15 pm in Jones Hall
Paulin Djité’s Plenary talk on African Languages in Diaspora from 2:00 - 3:00 pm in the Coffman Great Hall
Poster Session from 3:00 - 5:00 pm in the Coffman Great Hall
For more information about African cultures and languages in diaspora, visit our subpage!
Page updated
Report abuse