Lingua and Linguistics office
Lingua and Linguistics office
The Twelfth Annual UTA Student Conference in Linguistics
12th UTASCIL-2004
Nov. 4-5
[call for papers] [Yumi prize] [keynote speaker] [fees] [welcome party]
Deadline for Abstracts: 5:00 p.m., September 1st, 2004
Date: November 4th-5th, 2004
Location: The University of Texas at Arlington
Papers for this conference are invited in all areas of linguistics. Students from any educational institution are encouraged to submit their research and share insights they have discovered in the field. Presentations will last 20 minutes with 10 minutes for discussion and questions. This is a great opportunity to develop professional skills! The best-presented papers will be awarded the Yumi Nakamura Memorial Prize in Linguistics (up to $400.00 USD).
The deadline for submission of abstracts is Monday, September 1st, 2004. Notifications of acceptance will be distributed in early October, 2004. Abstracts should be written on a single page (500 words or less) in Times New Roman, font 12, with an optional additional page for graphs and/or references. Electronic submissions are preferred; however, if submitting by mail, please provide 5 copies of your anonymous abstract with the title of the paper at the top and a 3” x 5” index card including the following information:
Papers should be sent to the attention of: Alicia Navarette, Program in Linguistics, Box 19559, University of Texas at Arlington, TX 76019-0559 in time to reach UTA by the deadline. Electronic submission should be in MS Word format. Please do not send PDF or .html formats. E-mail abstract should be sent to Alicia at: UTASCIL@yahoo.com
The Yumi Nakamura Prize in Linguistics has been established to honor the memory of Ms Yumi Nakamura, a Linguistics student who died at UTA in January 2000. Her family and the Program in Linguistics have contributed funds to be awarded to the best student papers at the UTA Student Conference in Linguistics. A maximum of 3 prizes will be awarded in amounts up to $400 USD.
All students presenting papers are eligible to be included in the competition for the prize. The prize will be awarded at the Friday evening session. The judges (consisting of faculty and students) will use the following criteria in awarding the prize:
|
5 |
originality |
The paper should not be a review or summary of other people's work. Originality may include a topic, a set of data, contribution to theory, or innovative application of a theory. |
|
5 |
significance of the paper’s topic |
The paper should be of some significance in the study of a language (or language family) or a discipline within linguistics. |
|
7 |
clarity of the presentation |
The speaker should not only know the subject, but present it clearly to the audience so that the audience can follow the train of thought. This will also include the way the speaker answers any questions. |
|
7 |
depth and thoroughness of analysis |
The speaker shouldf know their theory well, not just enough to handle the paper. And they must analyze the data, not merely describe it. Theory and data should be appropriately integrated. In answering questions, speakers should demonstrate knowledge of both the data and theory that goes beyond the limits of the presentation. |
|
3 |
presentation |
The speaker should present their material in an interesting and informative way. |
|
27 |
total |
|
Dr. Michael C. Cahill (http://www.sil.org/sil/roster/cahill_michael.htm)
Mike graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in biochemistry in 1977, and taught high school chemistry, physics and math for 5 years in Iowa. In the midst of that, he heard of SIL and took his first linguistics training at SIL-UND in 1980. Mike arrived in Ghana in 1983, all set to be a linguist and Bible translator, but was initially assigned as business manager. The advantage of this unexpected turn of events was that he got to know Virginia (Ginia), an itinerant teacher of the translators' children. They got engaged and returned to the USA for the wedding, linguistic training for Ginia, and an M.A. in linguistics for Mike from UTA, which he received in 1985.
Back in Ghana, the Cahills started living with the Koma people in the village of Yikpabongo, learning and analyzing the Konni language and culture. They developed an orthography for this previously-unwritten language, and started producing literacy books and trial Scripture portions.
Due to family concerns, they returned to the USA, and Mike got his Ph.D. from Ohio State University in 1999 with a dissertation titled Aspects of Morphology and Phonology in Konni, still the only case of analyzing the phonology of an entire language with Optimality Theory.
Since then, he has served in Dallas as SIL's International Linguistics Coordinator, being an information flow hub, promoting good linguistics in SIL, and still having fun investigating tone systems and labialvelar stops, not only in Africa, but also in Papua New Guinea. He's also interested in endangered language issues and in 2003 was the Chair of the LSA Committee on Endangered Languages and their Preservation.
Besides his beautiful wife, Mike has three perfect children: Deborah, Laura, and Stephen.
Abstract (download in PDF format)
Mike Cahill, SIL International
Knowing the phonetics helps explain the history and phonology, and knowing the history helps explain the phonology, but there is still one phonological phenomenon of labial-velar stops that is unexplained by any current phonological theory.
The labial-velar stops gƒb and kƒp, as well as the nasal Nƒm, subsumed under the symbol KP, are found as phonemes in hundreds of languages in west and central Africa, several dozen in the Pacific, and a handful in South America.
Phonetically, the components of labial-velars are not perfectly overlapping; the labial component lags behind the velar one, giving a labial release. The duration of a labial-velar stop is only slightly longer than a simple stop. Interestingly, voiceless labial-velars often have characteristics in common with voiced stops: they are less aspirated, they are partially voiced, and they often have an ingressive air mechanism.
Perception of labial-velars is under-studied. Results of a recent perceptual experiment with Yoruba speakers are reported in which information from both the CV transition and the pre-voicing play a part in distinguishing word-initial gƒb from b.
Historically, labial-velars can develop from either labialized velars or labials, but a common sequence is KuV > KwV > KPV. kƒp often merges with gƒb giving gƒb, not surprising, given that kƒp often shares phonetic characteristics of gƒb. Labial-velars often merge with plain labials, again unsurprising given the phonetic characteristic of a labial release.
Phonological behavior of labial-velars that must be explained include, among others:
Several of these can be explained by the historical development of KP (#1, 2) or the details of phonetics (#7). Specific representations in Feature Geometry may illumine other behaviors (#3, 4, 6, 8). However, the phonological distinction in Knni nasal assimilation between NKP word-internally and NƒmKP across words remains unexplainable in any theory of phonology developed thus far.
Early registration must be postmarked by Oct. 15.
If you will be driving and need a temporary parking permit at UTA during the conference, please let us know when you submit your registration. Parking permits will be prepared for the registered attendees free of charge.
Registration fees:
| Pre-registration (before Oct. 15, 2004) | $5 | |
| On-site/Late registration (after Oct. 15, 2004) | $10 |
Registration entitles the attendee to a free copy of abstracts and free entrance to the welcome party. UTA, SIL, GIAL students, faculty, and staff may attend all sessions free of charge with appropriate I.D. Donations are welcome J )
Payment:
Please pre-pay by check only, in US dollars. Make your check payable to LINGUA, and send it to the following address postmarked by the pre-registration deadline.
LINGUA Registration
Program in Linguistics
Box 19559
University of Texas at Arlington
TX 76019-0559, USA
To register
E-mail utascil@yahoo.com with
the following information:
Name
Affiliation
Address
Phone
Email
Airlines, flight number, time, and date
| Abstracts | $5 | |
| Welcome Party | $5 |
When: Thursday, Nov. 4, 5:15 pm
Where: University Center, Rio Grande B
Why: To eat pizza, relax, and talk to the presenters, attendees, and judges in an informal environment.
How much: $5 for non-presenters, free for presenters (included in registration fees)
Webmaster | Updated 10/28/04