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The 20th Diachronic Generative Syntax conference (DiGS20) will be hosted at the University of York, on 18-21 June 2018.

DiGS20 welcomes submissions on any topic in formal diachronic syntax, but especially encourages research that presents novel historical syntactic data and/or sheds light on the internal and external sources of language variation and change, and the paths that syntactic change follows.

Invited speakers

• Edith Aldridge
• Theresa Biberauer
• Cecilia Poletto

More on DiGS and its history

Workshop on Syntax and Reconstruction

As has become traditional, the main conference will be preceded by a themed workshop; in 2018, the theme will be Syntax and Reconstruction. The workshop will focus on reconstruction of the syntax of protolanguages as well as reconstruction of language relatedness through syntactic properties.

Invited speaker

• George Walkden

Important dates

• Workshop: 18 June 2018
• Main conference: 19-21 June 2018
• Abstract submission deadline: 8 January 2018
• Notification of acceptance: 28 February  2018
• Early-bird registration deadline: 30 April 2018

Contact: digs20@york.ac.uk

Organizing Committee: Claire Childs, Shin-Sook Kim, Giuseppe Longobardi, Dimitris Michelioudakis, Susan Pintzuk, Nina Radkevich, Ann Taylor, Eva Zehentner

Sponsors: Department of Language and Linguistic Science, University of York and the Linguistic Association of Great Britain

Call for papers

Call for papers

Abstracts are invited for 30-minute presentations (followed by 10  minutes of discussion) on any aspect of diachronic syntax, and/or the theme of the workshop, Syntax and Reconstruction. 

Abstracts must not exceed 2 pages in length, including examples and references, with 2.5 cm margins on all sides and a 12pt font.

Submission is limited to one single-authored and one co-authored abstract per author, or two co-authored abstracts, whether it is for the main conference or for the workshop, or both.

Abstracts must be anonymous.

Please indicate in the header of the abstract if you wish to be considered only for the workshop or only for the main conference. In the absence of any indication in the header, the abstract will be considered for both.

• Abstracts may be submitted through EasyChair at: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=digs20
• Deadline for submission: 8 January 2018 (midnight UK time).
• Notification of acceptance: 28 February 2018

Organizing Committee: Claire Childs, Shin-Sook Kim, Giuseppe Longobardi, Dimitris Michelioudakis, Susan Pintzuk, Nina Radkevich, Ann Taylor, Eva Zehentner

If you have questions or comments, please contact digs20@york.ac.uk.

Workshop

Workshop on Syntax and Reconstruction

18 June 2018, University of York

The reconstruction of otherwise unknown events of the past is the most genuine way of increasing the body of historical knowledge. Demonstrating that generative syntax can contribute to this endeavour provides a strong argument for the generative approach to the study of language.

A debate has arisen since Roberts (1998) about the possibility of using generative concepts as a tool for comparative reconstruction of ancestral syntactic states of unattested protolanguages (Lightfoot 2002a, 2002b, Campbell & Harris 2002). More recent attempts to apply a minimalist framework to syntactic reconstruction include Willis (2011) for Celtic and Walkden (2014) for Germanic, while Emonds and Faarlund’s 2014 use of syntactic characteristics to propose a novel account of the ancestry of Middle English has provoked a lively exchange of ideas in the literature. Since Longobardi (2003), attempts have been made to use parametric generative syntax in an additional way: to comparatively reconstruct phylogenetic relations among languages (see e.g. Longobardi et al. 2013 on a syntactic phylogeny of Indo-European; Guardiano et al. 2016 on phylogenies of Southern Italo-Romance and a sample of Modern Greek dialects).

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Comparative or internal reconstruction of unattested syntactic stages
• General methodological issues in syntactic reconstruction
• Diagnosing shared innovations and retentions, homoplastic patterns and back-mutation processes
• Syntactic reconstruction, UG and typology
• The contribution of syntax to phylogenetic reconstruction compared to other domains
• New computational approaches to reconstruction and phylogenetic syntax

References

• Campbell, L. & Harris, A. C. 2002. Syntactic reconstruction and demythologizing 'Myths and the prehistory of grammars'. Journal of Linguistics 38, 599–618.
• Emonds, J. E. & Faarlund, J. T. 2014. English: The Language of the Vikings. Olomouc: Palacký University.
• Guardiano, C., Michelioudakis, D., Ceolin, A., Irimia, M., Longobardi, G., Radkevich, N., Silvestri, G. & Sitaridou, I. 2016. South by Southeast. A syntactic approach to Greek and Romance microvariation. L'Italia Dialettale, 77, 95-166.
• Lightfoot, D. W. 2002a. Myths and the prehistory of grammars. Journal of Linguistics 38, 113–36.
• Lightfoot, D. W. 2002b. More myths. Journal of Linguistics, 38, 619-626.
• Longobardi, G. 2003. Methods in parametric linguistics and cognitive history. Linguistic Variation Yearbook, 3(1), 101-138.
• Longobardi, G., Guardiano, C., Silvestri, G., Boattini, A. & Ceolin, A. 2013. Toward a syntactic phylogeny of modern Indo-European languages. Journal of Historical Linguistics, 3(1), 122-152.
• Roberts, I. G. 1998. Review of Harris & Campbell. Romance Philology 51, 363-370.
• Walkden, G. 2014. Syntactic Reconstruction and Proto-Germanic. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Willis, D. 2011. Reconstructing last week's weather: Syntactic reconstruction and Brythonic free relatives. Journal of Linguistics 47, 407–46.

Programme

Programme

You can download the programme as a pdf: DiGS20 Programme (PDF , 210kb)

Monday 18 June Workshop on Syntax and Reconstruction  Venue: D/L/036 (Derwent College L Block)
10:00-11:00	Registration Venue: D/L/002
11:00-11:10	Welcome
11:10-11:50	Ioanna Sitaridou (University of Cambridge) Syntactic reconstruction of Asia Minor Greek Sitaridou abstract (PDF , 118kb)
11:50-12:30	Paul Kiparsky (Stanford University)  The Evolution of Subject Licensing in Indo-European Languages Kiparsky abstract (PDF , 48kb)
12:30-14:10	Lunch
14:10-14:50	Sigríður Sæunn Sigurðardóttir (Yale University) and Þórhallur Eyþórsson (University of Iceland) The case of things that rain and snow: Reconstructing weather expressions in Proto-Germanic Sigurðardóttir&Eythórsson abstract (PDF , 188kb)
14:50-15:30	Luca Bortolussi (Università di Trieste), Andrea Ceolin (University of Pennsylvania), Guido Cordoni (University of York), Dimitar Kazakov (University of York), Cristina Guardiano (Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia), Monica Irimia (Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia), Giuseppe Longobardi (University of York), Nina Radkevich (University of York) and Andrea Sgarro (Università di Trieste)  How time-bound is your grammar? Pushing the limits of comparative methods through syntax Bortolussi et al. abstract (PDF , 658kb)
15:30-15:50	Coffee/tea break Venue: D/L/002
15:50-16:30	Laura Grestenberger (University of Vienna)  Reconstructing passive syntax in Proto-Indo-European Grestenberger handout (PDF , 237kb)
16:30-17:30	Invited speaker: George Walkden (University of Konstanz)  Proto-Indo-European: a language without Merge? Walkden handout (PDF , 2,622kb)
Alternate	Maris Camilleri (University of Essex)  On the diachrony and development of the Universal Perfect construction across the Arabic vernaculars Camilleri abstract (PDF , 135kb)

Tuesday 19 June Venue: Bowland Auditorium, Berrick Saul Building
8:15-9:15	Registration Venue: Berrick Saul Building lobby
9:15-9:30	Welcome
9:30-10:30	Invited speaker: Edith Aldridge (University of Washington)  Reconstructing Proto-Austronesian Alignment Aldridge handout (PDF , 469kb)
10:30-11:10	Hiroaki Saito (University of Connecticut)  Grammaticalization as Decategorization Saito abstract (PDF , 169kb)
11:10-11:30	Coffee/tea break  Venue: the Treehouse (Berrick Saul Building)
11:30-12:10	Barbara Meisterernst (National Tsing Hua University)  A syntactic approach to the grammaticalization of the modal marker dāng 當 in Middle Chinese Meisterernst handout (PDF , 712kb)
12:10-12:50	Lingzi Zhuang (Cornell University)  Diachronic development of accusativity in Tibetan subject relative clauses Zhuang slides (PDF , 463kb)
12:50-14:20	Lunch
14:20-15:00	Emanuela Sanfelici and Cecilia Poletto (Università di Padova)  The diachrony of Italian free relative clauses Sanfelici&Poletto slides (PDF , 8,576kb)
15:00-15:40	Eric Fuß (Institute for the German Language Mannheim)  Wh-relatives in the history of German (and what gender's got to do with it) Fuss slides (PDF , 444kb)
15:40-16:40	Coffee/tea break and Poster Session 1 Venue: the Treehouse (Berrick Saul Building)
16:40-17:20	Tara Struik and Ans van Kemenade (Radboud University)  Information-structure driven word order variation in the history of English: a phase-based approach Struik&van Kemenade slides (PDF , 522kb)
17:20-18:00	Ryan Hearn (Cornell University)  Disharmonic headedness in functional categories in early Indo-European Hearn slides (PDF , 482kb)
18:30-	Reception  Venue: the Treehouse (Berrick Saul Building)

Registration

Registration

DiGS20 registration is now available on the University of York Online Store.

Registration for the conference dinner (Wednesday 20 June, Dean Court Hotel) is also available at the same link. Payment for the dinner does not include alcoholic beverages; however, a bar will be available for the purchase of drinks. It is important that you register for the dinner and specify your choice of courses in advance: only a very small number of extra seats - with a fixed menu - will be available during the first three days of the conference. Also note that the registration fee does not include lunch, which will be available at the nearby Vanbrugh Dining.

Please note that the Online Store listings for registration and conference dinner are not directly connected. Once you have completed the purchase of one of the two, go back to Home and select Product Catalogue (either below the Online Store blurb in the middle or under Navigation on the left), then select Languages & Linguistics. You will then be able to purchase the second of the two items.

• Early-bird registration (waged, now through 30 April):  £90
• Early-bird registration (unwaged, now through 30 April): £65
• Regular registration (waged, 1 May through 6 June):  £125
• Regular registration (unwaged, 1 May through 6 June):  £100
• On-site registration (waged/unwaged, 7 June on, cash only):  £150
  
  
• Conference dinner (waged/unwaged): £25

If you have any questions, please contact us (digs20@york.ac.uk).

Accommodation

Accommodation

There is no university accommodation available in June, so the following guide presents private accommodation in hotels, guest houses, bed-and-breakfasts and hostels, in York. A full list of such accommodation in York can be found at the York Visitor Information Centre website. You can also contact the Visitor Information Centre directly at 01904 550099 to find and book suitable accommodation in the area. Previous conference delegates have found this service extremely helpful.

Where prices are given, they are for four nights unless otherwise specified; prices may change as the dates of the conference approach.

1. Youth Hostel-style Accommodation

Safestay York, 88-90 Micklegate, York, YO1 6JX
Website: https://www.safestay.com/york
Features: 35 minutes walk from University of York
Price: £118.80 (Single bed within a shared dormitory)

2. Apartment-style Accommodation

Student Castle York, 80 Walmgate, York, YO10 9TL
Website: http://www.studentcastle.co.uk/locations/york-student-accommodation/
Features: 25 minutes walk from University of York
Price: £320 room only

3. B&Bs, Guest Houses, Small Hotels

The Limes, 135 Fulford Road, York, YO10 4HE
Website: http://www.limeshotel.co.uk/
Features: 4 stars, silver award for guest accommodation, 25 minutes walk to University of York

Ashbourne House, 139 Fulford Road, York, YO10 4HG
Website: http://www.ashbournehouseyork.co.uk/
Features: 4 stars, 6 rooms, limited off street parking, outskirts of York, 25 minutes walk to University of York

Holly Lodge, 204-206 Fulford Road, York, YO10 4DD
Website: http://www.thehollylodge.co.uk/
Features: 3 star B&B, 5 rooms, parking, 20 minutes walk to University of York
Price: £44 per person per night 

Midway Guest House, 145 Fulford Road, York, YO10 4HG
Website: Search "Midway Guest House York"
Features: 4 stars,  outskirts of York, free car parking, 15 minutes walk to University of York
Price: £190 including breakfast

Chelmsford Place Guest House, 85 Fulford Road, York, YO10 4BD
Website: http://www.chelmsfordplace.co.uk/
Features: 3 stars, 20 minutes walk from city centre,  22 minutes walk to University of York, book direct with guest house for free parking
Price: £200 including breakfast

The York Priory Guest House, 126 Fulford Road, York, YO10 4BE
Website: https://priory-guest-house-hotel-york.com/ 
Features: 4 stars, 20 minutes walk to city centre , 21 minutes walk from University of York
Price: £288 room only (breakfast £10.40 per day)

Fourposter Lodge, 68-70 Heslington Road, York, YO10 5AU
Website: http://www.fourposterlodge.co.uk/ 
Features: 8 rooms, 14 minutes walk to University of York, 10 minute walk from city centre
Price: £330 including breakfast

Guy Fawkes Inn, High Petergate, York, YO1 7HP
Website: https://www.guyfawkesinnyork.com  
Features: 4 stars, 13 rooms, near York Minster, 2.1 miles to University of York
Price: £330.70 including breakfast 

Carlton House, 134 The Mount, York, YO24 1AS
Website: http://www.carltonhouse.co.uk/
Features: Award-winning guesthouse, 11 rooms, 2.3 miles from University of York; our invited speakers are staying here!
Price: £340 including breakfast

The Plough Inn,  48 Main Street, Fulford, York, YO10 4PX
Website: http://www.the-plough-inn-york.co.uk
Features: 6 boutique rooms, outskirts of York, 2 miles from University of York
Price: £436 including breakfast

Lamb & Lion Inn, 2-4 High Petergate, York, YO1 7EH
Website: https://www.lambandlioninnyork.com/
Features: 14 rooms, city centre, 2.2 miles from University of York
Price: £446 room only

4. Larger / more expensive hotels

Premier Inn, Blossom Street South, 28-40 Blossom Street, York, YO24 1AJ
Website: https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/north-yorkshire/york/york-city-blossom-st-south.html
Features: 3 stars, close to train station, 2.1 miles from University of York
Price: £292.50 room only (£207 saver rate available)

Travelodge York Central, 90 Piccadilly, York, YO1 9NX
Website: Search "Travelodge York Central"
Features: 2 stars,  10 minutes walk to city centre, 25 minutes walk to University of York
Price: £304 standard room

Travelodge York Hull Road, Hull Road, York, YO10 3LF
Website: Search "Travelodge York Hull Road"
Features: 2 stars, outskirts of city, free parking, 20 minutes walk to University of York
Price: £327 including breakfast (£251 room only saver rate available)

Best Western York Pavilion Hotel, Main Street, York, YO10 4PJ
Website: http://www.yorkpavilionhotel.com/
Features: 3 stars, country house style with free parking, 1.9 miles to University of York
Price: £347.40 room only, breakfast available at £8 per night

DoubleTree by Hilton York, St Maurices Road, Monkbar, York, YO31 7JA
Website: Search "DoubleTree by Hilton York"
Features: 4 stars, 143 rooms, city centre location, 30 minutes walk to University of York
Price: £357 Double room including breakfast

Hilton York, 1 Tower Street, York, YO1 9WD
Website: http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/hilton-york-LBAYOHN/index.html
Features: 4 stars, 130 rooms, facing the castle and Clifford’s Tower, 1.6 miles from University of York
Price: £366.08 room only

Minster Hotel, 58-60 Bootham, York, YO30 7BZ
Website: http://www.yorkminsterhotel.co.uk/
Features: 3 stars, 42 rooms, just outside city centre, 2.6 miles from University of York
Price: £376 room only (breakfast available for £9.95 per night)

The Churchill Hotel, 65 Bootham, York, YO30 7DQ
Website: http://www.churchillhotel.com/
Features: 4 stars, 32 rooms, just outside city centre, 2.7 miles to University of York
Price: £378 including breakfast

The Grange Hotel, 1 Clifton, York, YO30 6AA
Website: http://www.grangehotel.co.uk
Features: 4 stars, 41 rooms, old style grandeur, 2.7 miles from University of York
Price: £386.10 room only (breakfast available for £14.95 per night)

Hotel Indigo York, 88-96 Walmgate, York, YO1 9TL
Website: Search "Hotel Indigo York"
Features: 4 star boutique hotel, 101 rooms, city centre location, 23 minutes walk to University of York
Price: £390 room only, £454 including breakfast

Best Western Dean Court Hotel, Duncombe Place, York, YO1 7EF
Website: https://www.deancourt-york.co.uk/
Features: 4 stars, 37 rooms, next to the Minster, 2.1 miles from University of York
Price: £396 room only

Novotel York Centre, Fishergate, York, YO10 4FD
Website: https://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-0949-novotel-york-centre/index.shtml#origin=novotel
Features: 4 stars, 15 minutes walk to city centre, 22 minutes walk to University of York
Price: £418.10 including breakfast 

Judges Court, Coney Street, York, YO1 9ND
Website: http://www.judgescourt.co.uk/
Features: 5 stars, 15 rooms, 2.3 miles from University of York
Price: £469.80 room only

Hampton by Hilton, Toft Green, York, YO1 6JT
Website: http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/hampton-by-hilton-york-QQYTGHX/index.html
Features: 3 stars, 121 rooms, town centre location, 2.1 miles from University of York
Price: £483.60 double room including breakfast

Travel

Travel

York is easy to reach by rail and road. International visitors should note that there is a direct rail link between York and Manchester airport (approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes). Leeds airport has bus services to the Leeds railway station in Leeds city centre, where you can take a train directly to York railway station (25 minutes). Newcastle airport (approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes) is also easy to reach, with regular east coast trains connecting to the Newcastle local Metro system. Trains from/to London King's Cross station (approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes) are frequent and regular but more expensive, and all London airports entail fairly long travel across the city to reach the King's Cross station.

The York railway station is 10-15 minutes from the University by taxi, depending on traffic. There are bus stops immediately outside the station. Bus no. 66 runs directly from York railway station to the University Heslington West Campus, where the conference venue is located. Get off at the JB Morrell Library stop.

York is small and easily walkable, particularly in good weather. Taxis should cost around £5-10 within the city.

Street traffic in York can get very congested, and car parking is both limited and expensive (£6 per day on campus).

Detailed information on travel to York can be found on the University of York travel pages. 

• Travelling from the airports
• Map of the University of York
• Maps of York
• York visitor information