Phonetic Approaches to Under-Documented Languages (With a Special Emphasis on Tibeto-Burman Languages)
18-19 sept. 2025
Campus Condorcet - Aubervilliers (France)
With this conference, we aim to explore the potential for instrumental phonetic methods to bolster the documentation of endangered languages and to reflect on the role of phonetics in the classification of under-documented languages. Under-documented languages—-such as many within the Tibeto-Burman family—-hold considerable potential for advancing our understanding of phonological typology and processes of sound change. However, fully realizing this potential may require the integration of instrumental and experimental phonetics into more established methodologies of documentary and descriptive linguistics. Analytical approaches such as acoustic analysis of phonemes and tonal systems, articulatory descriptions, and aerodynamic studies provide valuable, complementary tools. These methods not only enrich synchronic descriptions of under-documented languages but also lay the groundwork for identifying sound correspondences with related varieties and refining phonological typologies. By combining descriptive phonetics with modern instrumental techniques, researchers can produce more robust and nuanced accounts of phonological systems. This workshop aims to explore the contributions of phonetic research to the study and classification of under-documented languages by inviting discussions on topics such as: - The role of descriptive phonetics in work on under-resources languages; - The observation of articulatory gestures using techniques such as electropalatography, ultrasound imaging, MRI and EMA; - The interaction between articulation and perception in shaping phonological systems; - Correlations between articulatory and acoustic features in under-documented languages; - The place of tone languages and complex prosodic systems within phonological typologies; - Studies on voice quality and intra-/inter-speaker variation in phoneme production; - Contributions to phonological databases aimed at enriching existing typologies. We invite contributions addressing any of the above topics. Submissions focusing on lesser-known Tibeto-Burman languages are especially encouraged.
Discipline scientifique :
Sciences de l'Homme et Société - Linguistique
Lieu de la conférence