9th Southern African Microlinguistics Workshop

Conference date: 2-4 December 2021

Submission deadline: 31 August 2021

Location: Cape Town / Online

The Linguistics Department at the University of the Western Cape is proud to be hosting the 9th Southern African Microlinguistics Workshop (SAMWOP 9).

Meeting Description:

SAMWOP is an annual event that brings together linguists working in the area of Southern African microlinguistics (broadly defined as linguistics which focuses on the structure of language as opposed to, for example, its sociological or educational role in society). This includes researchers based in Southern Africa working in various areas of theoretical and general linguistics, including phonetics, phonology, morphology and syntax, as well as those based elsewhere working on e.g. South African Bantu languages, Afrikaans and Khoisan languages, as well as other African languages, particularly from neighbouring countries.

SAMWOP provides an opportunity for longer presentations and in‐depth discussion, with no parallel sessions and with both 60min and 30min slots available (the latter being earmarked for students). The workshop fosters a friendly and collaborative atmosphere with a flexible setup and room for informal discussion. SAMWOP is an important forum for research and networking, especially for junior researchers and students. There is no conference fee.

Call for papers (First call: 3 May 2021):

SAMWOP 9 will be a hybrid physical-online workshop, with talks delivered both in-person and via an online platform. We invite abstracts for long presentations (40-minute talks followed by 20 minutes of discussion) and also for short presentations (20-minute talks followed by 10 minutes of discussion, earmarked for students) on any aspect of the phonetics, phonology, morphology, and/or syntax of one or more southern African language(s).

This year, we are also very interested in research focusing on Kaaps and/or other lesser studied colloquial varieties of Afrikaans. Papers focusing on formal aspects of “non-standard” varieties and on phenomena like code-switching / translanguaging are also very welcome, as are papers considering how aspects of the structure of non-Germanic languages spoken in southern Africa (may) have impacted on the structure of colloquial Afrikaanses.

A special issue of Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus (SPiL Plus) is typically published following each SAMWOP event, and attendees will be encouraged to submit their papers.

Abstract guidelines & submission:
Abstracts should not exceed 500 words (with 2.5cm margins on all sides and a font size of 12pt). This includes data and references. Each author may submit no more than one single-authored and one co-authored abstract, or two co-authored ones. Abstracts must be anonymous. Submissions should be submitted in PDF format via EasyAbs (http://linguistlist.org/easyabs/SAMWOP‐9) by 31 August 2021 at midnight (SAST).

Other important dates:

1st Call: 3 May 2021

2nd Call: 14 June 2021

Reviewers receive abstracts: 6 September 2021

Notice of acceptance: 4 October 2021

Registration opens: 4 October 2021

If you have any questions, please contact Erin Pretorius (epretorius@uwc.ac.za).