A speaker's hometown, birthplace, neighborhood, region, or country may be key, if not primary, factors in their self-identity, often in interaction with other social factors such as gender, ethnicity, or political affiliation. While region or geography is sometimes taken for granted in linguistic work, recent research has highlighted the complexity of the ways in which speakers use language to orient towards place, demonstrating that linguistic practice does not merely reflect place, but also constructs it.
Locating Language: A Symposium on the Linguistics of Place invites dialogue about the relationship between language, place, and identity from both well-established researchers and new voices. The format of the symposium mixes traditional presentations with extended question/discussion periods.