Discourse Particles in South Asian Languages

Discourse particles are a key component of natural language, connecting structural and semantic content with speaker stance, discourse structuring, and pragmatic meaning. They have been described as elements that contribute little to truth-conditional content but are crucial for managing interaction and guiding interpretation. While particles in some languages have received sustained attention, there remains a lot to be learnt about their role in natural language more generally.

This workshop aims to foreground discourse particles by focusing on questions like the following: How do discourse particles interact with syntax, semantics, prosody, and information structure? To what extent do discourse particles reveal universal principles of discourse organization, and where do they highlight language-specific strategies?

South Asia is a typologically diverse linguistic area, with many well-studied languages as well as many understudied languages. These languages are known to be rich in discourse particles. By bringing together scholars working on languages of South Asia, this workshop seeks to broaden the empirical foundation for the study of discourse particles and refine theoretical accounts of their role at the grammar–discourse interface. 

Registration for DiPSAL 2025 is now closed. 

Important Dates

Abstract submission deadline: October 7th October 12th, 2025 (Extended)

Review result notification: October 21st November 5th, 2025 (Extended)

Workshop dates: December 22nd and 23rd, 2025