Over the last one hundred years, the knowledge of languages of the world has dramatically increased. From a situation when most languages of the world were unknown, we have reached a situation when we have a good description of at least some languages from every linguistic subgrouping. Yet language theories, in the great majority of cases, have been lagging behind in proper appreciation of the forms and functions found in the languages of the world. Most linguistic theories are still based on the forms and functions found in western Indo-European languages.

The purpose of the Symposium is to identify hitherto unstated or understated fundamental issues in linguistic theories taking into account the rich variation of forms and functions observed in the languages of the world. The symposium will examine the goals of both theories of language structure and theories of language evolution. One of the expected outcomes of the symposium will be a new set of questions to be addressed by language theories. Some of the questions to be put before the participants with respect to the theories of language structure are:

1. What should be the proper object for theories of language structure?
2. What should a theory of language structure explain?
3. Should there be common formal elements in the theories of language structure?
4. Should there be common functional elements?
5. What elements should a theory of language structure contain?
6. What should be the relationship between theories of language structure and the theories of cognition?

Some of the questions with respect to theories of language change are:

1. What are motivations for language change and grammaticalization?
2. What are the roles and properties of functions in language change?
3. What are the roles and properties of forms in language change?
4. Does human conscious choice play a part in language change?
5. Is there a role for adaptability in language change? What would such a role be?

In addition to these questions the invited participants will be submitting their own questions well before the start of the Symposium.

Relevant Dates

February 15, 2003: Deadline for submission of paper abstracts.

March 15, 2003: Deadline of circulation of all papers among all participants.

May 14-17th, 2003: Symposium.

May-June 2003: Editing of discussion recordings. Everyone quoted will have a chance to verify what they have said.

September 1, 2003: Final manuscript submission deadline.