The Faculty of Education and Humanities will be hosting the Society for Caribbean Linguistics (SCL) 25th Biennial Conference, being held in collaboration with the Society for Pidgin and Creole Linguistics (SPCL), from 5 – 9 August 2024, in Georgetown Guyana. This highly-anticipated conference will convene at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen Campus under the theme “Looking Back and Moving Forward: Innovations in Language Theory, Policy and Practice.” The Faculty’s Department of Language and Cultural Studies is coordinating the conference.
The conference is the foremost meeting of scholars from at least twenty five (25) different countries around the world who work in the fields of Pidgin, Creole and Caribbean languages. They represent various universities, academic institutions, government ministries, schools and private organisations.
The papers to be presented cover a range of topics related to Caribbean languages and issues pertaining to the linguistic study of Pidgins, Creoles and other contact varieties. For example papers pertaining to Indigenous Languages of the Insular and Greater Caribbean, Digitisation of Heritage Caribbean Languages, Virtual Language Museums, Caribbean Languages and Reparations, Relevance of Linguistics in Education in the Caribbean, Translation and Interpreting in the Caribbean, Language, Endangerment and Language Death in the Caribbean, Language Policies and Identities in Multilingual Caribbean Societies, Language and Music in the Caribbean, Forensic Linguistics in the Caribbean, among others, will be presented. Other panel themes on the phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, lexicon, and other issues pertaining to the linguistic study of Pidgins, Creoles and other contact varieties will also be presented.
Importantly, the presentations will not only deal with technical matters related to linguistics, but they also address language issues which are critical to national development, such as education, literacy, economic development, cultural identity and heritage, migration and diasporas, inclusiveness, and empowerment, among other things.
A major highlight of the conference will be a session to recognise and honour distinguished Guyanese Linguists and Language Activists who have contributed significantly to the field of Linguistics.
Professor Marta Dijkhoff, Director of the National Language Institute of Curacao, former Minister of Education and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Education in Curacao, will be the keynote speaker at the Conference. Other high-ranking persons scheduled to address the conference are UG’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin and President of the SCL, Dr. Clive Forrester.
SCL President Dr. Forrester anticipates a productive and beneficial conference, noting that “Anticipation is high as scholars from around the globe prepare to gather and unveil cutting-edge research on all aspects of Caribbean language. This momentous occasion marks not only a reunion of the Caribbean linguistics community after a six-year hiatus but also a celebration of 52 years of advancing the field through collaboration and discovery.”
Chair of the Local Organising Committee, Dr. Tamirand Nnena De Lisser noted the special significance of the conference being held in Guyana: “When it comes to the SCL, Guyana is a special place, as the first official biennial SCL Conference was held here at UG in 1976 and the first SCL/SPCL joint conference was also held in Guyana in 1994. We at UG are, once again, extremely delighted to be the venue of choice to host the first face-to-face/in-person SCL/SPCL conference following the COVID-19 Pandemic. Among the discussion of Caribbean, pidgin and creole languages, the rich linguistic diversity of Guyana will be showcased, ranging from academic talks and presentations, through workshops and exhibitions, to linguistic field trips and excursions. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Guyana, as we promise to deliver a memorable experience.”
This history was underscored by the Dean of UG’s Faculty of Education and Humanities, Dr. Roslin Khan, who commented: “As the date for the 2024 Conference is rapidly approaching, I would just like to let you know how very pleased I am to know that the SCL/SPCL is returning to Guyana exactly 30 years since we had the privilege of hosting the Conference in 1994, with me as the Coordinator of the Local Organising Committee. Please accept my very best wishes in your scholarly deliberations as we all now rapidly adjust to the constant technological advances that facilitate more advanced means of sharing the linguistic knowledge we impart through our research. Have a wonderful and successful Conference!”
Participants of the conference will be provided with the opportunity to participate in field trips to East Berbice or the Orealla Village to get a first-hand experience of Guyana’s rich and diverse language culture. There will also be a cultural programme featuring some of Guyana’s best performers.
Although the conference is intended for specialists in Linguistics, individuals may register to attend specific sessions that they might be interested in. Details about the conference and the registration fees can be seen at https://scl-online.net/Conferences/2024/index.htm
University of Guyana Release
