Colloquium & Other Events
The Institute of Linguistics offers a series of events during the academic year called Colloquium, featuring public presentations and workshops on a variety of topics related to linguistics research and scholarship. These events highlight the diverse fields of research conducted in the unit, and many focus on understudied and Indigenous languages. They are open to the university community and the public. Presenters include prominent linguistic researchers, university faculty, current students, and recent graduates.
Events are generally held on Friday afternoons, 3:30 – 5:00 pm, with a variable format (in person, fully remote, or hybrid). Registration is not required. Upcoming events are promoted on departmental news and events page. There are two ways to receive details and (if applicable) virtual meeting information:
- Sign up for the Colloquium listserv: you will receive an email about every event, including virtual meeting information when the event is remote or hybrid
- Request to receive information for the next upcoming event only
Institute events beyond the Colloquium series are advertised on the news and event page, but not promoted through the listserv.
56th Annual Conference on African Linguistics (ACAL)
The ACAL conference will be hosted at the University of Minnesota May 15 – 17, 2025. The special theme is African Languages in Diaspora. Paper proposal abstracts are currently being accepted.
Colloquium 2024-2025 Events
Language Change in Ancient Chinese: A Computational Approach. Presented by Zuoyu Tian, Macalester College.
Symmetrical Voice in Seven Subanen Languages. Presented by Sharon Joy Bulalang, Compass Academy.
The role of linguistics in the era of LLMs: With an emphasis on the pronoun “we”. Presented by Chongwon Park, University of Minnesota – Duluth.
Ojibwe Star Wars: A free event open to the community
The Linguistic State of Hockey: Minnesotan English and an Emerging Hockey-Based Persona. Andrew Bray, Carleton College
Professional Development Panel: Finding Effective Topics for Research. Claire Halpert, Diti Bhadra, Ania Lubowicz, Morgan Staley, UMN.
The syntax of subject nominalizations in Gĩkũyũ. Presented by Soo-Hwan Lee, University of Pennsylvania.
Linguistics Fellowship Presentation. Presented by Kaitlin McNary, Eric Frank, Nirnimesh Bhattacharjee, Sam Kennedy, University of Minnesota.
May Session 2025 Global Seminar - Decoding Egypt: From Ancient to Modern Language. Presented by Morgan Staley, Institute of Linguistics.
Colloquium 2023-2024 Events
Field Methods Students' Presentations. Featuring 2024 Linguistics Students, University of Minnesota
M.A. and Honors Students' Presentations. Featuring Sophia Hawk – Dustin Laufenberg – Emily Posson – Karina Resler, University of Minnesota
A Learner-Centered Approach to Linguistic Research. Featuring Mskwaankwad Rice, University of Minnesota
Investigating Evidentials. Featuring Sarah Murray, Cornell University
An Introduction to LaTeX. Featuring Diti Bhadra, University of Minnesota
Invented Languages: Ask/Tell Me Anything. Featuring Jean-Phillippe Marcotte, University of Minnesota
Abstract Writing Workshop. Featuring Diti Bhadra, University of Minnesota
Cross-linguistic Influence in Toronto Heritage Cantonese: It’s More Than Just Transfer. Featuring Holman Tse, St. Catherine University
How Articulatory is Phonology?. Featuring: Chris Geissler, Carleton College
Incorporating Subjectivity in the Study of Meaning by Grounding It in Experience. Featuring Mai Al-Khatib, University of Minnesota
How can we app semantics across multiple research domains? One case study among others: deontic modality in South Asia. Featuring Diti Bhadra, University of Minnesota
Escape Clause. Featuring Claire Halpert, University of Minnesota
Linguistics Faculty AMA (Ask Me Anything!). Featuring: Claire Halpert – Brian Reese – and others, University of Minnesota
Summer 2023 Fellows Presentation. Featuring: Sam Kennedy – Emily Tope – Emily Posson, University of Minnesota