Call for Papers: Dynamical Modeling

The Chicago Linguistic Society is pleased to announce a special workshop, Dynamic Modeling in Phonetics and Phonology, to be held May 24, 2017 as a satellite event of the 53rd Meeting of the Annual Chicago Linguistic Society (May 25-27, 2017) at the University of Chicago.

Background:

Empirical research in linguistics is increasingly making use of time-dependent data from articulatory ultrasound, longitudinal observations of language variation and change, eyetracking, and many other sources. This trend has facilitated the development of theoretical approaches which model the temporal dynamics of linguistic patterns and processes.  This workshop focuses on one approach of increasing interest among linguists: dynamic modeling.  Dynamic models are models in which the state of a system changes in time, usually according to an equation or updating algorithm. Such models can be formulated in continuous or discrete time, and a vast amount of research has been devoted to classifying qualitatively distinct patterns in such systems. One of the advantages of dynamical modeling is that it requires very explicit characterization of the system under investigation, including the theoretical assumptions that are involved. Because of this, dynamical models readily make predictions which are amenable to experimental investigation in a broad range of linguistic sub-disciplines.  This workshop will focus specifically on applications of dynamic modeling in phonetics and phonology, though we encourage researchers from all sub-fields to attend.

Aims:

(1) to provide a basic, pedagogical introduction to dynamical modeling for attendees and encourage them to pursue it in their own research.  This goal will be accomplished through a tutorial given by Dr. Khalil Iskarous, Assistant Professor of Linguistics at the University of Southern California and a leading expert on dynamical systems modeling in linguistics.

(2) to bring together researchers currently using dynamical modeling techniques to promote collaboration and further the development of modeling methodologies.  This goal will be achieved through a series of presentations by phoneticians and phonologists using dynamic modeling in their research.  Invited speakers will include:

Laura Dilley (Michigan State University)

John Goldsmith (University of Chicago)

Jelena Krivokapić (University of Michigan)

Sam Tilsen (Cornell University)

We invite submissions for paper and poster presentations on research in phonetics and phonology which demonstrate use of dynamic models.   We welcome submissions from any area of phonetics and phonology, and hope to feature research reflecting a broad range of methodological approaches.  Appropriate submissions might deal with (but are certainly not limited to) the following topics:

  1. Articulatory dynamics in ultrasound, EMA, or motion capture data
  2. Dynamical models of sound change, language acquisition, or language processing
  3. Oscillatory dynamics in neural processing of speech
  4. Behavioral research on speech entrainment
  5. Dynamic modeling of eyetracking data in speech processing

Abstract Guidelines

So that we may evaluate all submissions in a fair and equal manner, abstracts which fail to adhere to any of the following guidelines will be automatically rejected.

  • Submit your abstract(s) in PDF format with filename PaperTitle.pdf (e.g., Prosodic_Form_and_Discourse_Function.pdf) to clsdynamicmodeling@gmail.com
  • Limit text of abstracts to one page in length; data and references can be included on a second page. Use one-inch margins and a font size no smaller than 12 point.
  • Anonymize submissions by not including author name(s) in the abstract or filename. If necessary, remove author name(s) from the document properties of the PDF file.
  • Restrict submissions to one individual and one joint abstract per author, or two joint abstracts per author.

Important Dates:

  • Submission deadline: Friday, February 17, 2017 by 11:59 PM CST
  • Notification: By Friday, March 24, 2017
  • Conference date: Wednesday, May 24, 2017