Conference dates: 2-4 December 2026

Abstract submission deadline: 1 September 2026

Venue: Arts & Social Sciences Building, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

SAMWOP is free and open to anyone interested! Registration is required for organisational purposes.

The Department of General Linguistics at Stellenbosch University is proud to be hosting the 14th Southern African Microlinguistics Workshop (SAMWOP-14) from Wednesday 2nd December to Friday 4th December, 2026.

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, syntax, semantics and pragmatics, as well as those based elsewhere working on e.g. South African Bantu languages, Afrikaans and Khoisan languages, as well as other (sub-Saharan/southern) African languages.

SAMWOP provides an opportunity for longer presentations and in‐depth discussion, with no parallel sessions, and with both 1 hour and 1/2 hour slots available (the latter being earmarked primarily 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:

SAMWOP-14 will be a solely in-person workshop. We invite abstracts for long presentations (40-minute talks followed by 15 minutes of discussion) and also for short presentations (20-minute talks followed by 5 minutes of discussion, earmarked for students) on any aspect of the phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and/or pragmatics of one or more southern African language(s).

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. 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 via EasyAbs https://easyabs.linguistlist.org/conference/SAMWOP-14/ by 01 September 2026 at midnight (CAT).

Important dates

Submission Deadline:  1 September 2026

Notice of acceptance: 18 September 2026

Registration deadline: TBC

SAMWOP-14: 2-4 December 2026