www.esf.orgNew Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
A New Direction at the ESF
EuroBABEL: Better Analyses Based on Endangered Languages
Eva Hoogland
New Directions in Historical LinguisticsLyon, 14 May 2008
www.esf.orgNew Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
EuroBABEL
A new EUROCORES Programme
Deadline Outline Proposals: 20 May 2008
Guiding idea: “Let endangered languages change linguistics and our ideas about language, culture and cognition”
www.esf.org/eurobabel
www.esf.org
EuroBABEL - Fact 1• majority of the world’s 6000 languages,
both spoken and signed, are disappearing or becoming more like the languages of wider communication
New Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
www.esf.org
Thus• our ideas about language are based on
a small subset of the world’s languages• and our ideas about what is common
and what is rare are heavily biased
New Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
www.esf.org
Languages with evidentiality
New Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
www.esf.org
Languages with no prepositions or postpositions
New Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
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EuroBABEL - Fact 2:Several recent documentation initiatives
have produced new data, e.g.:– Volkswagen-DoBeS (Germany)– NSF/NEH DEL project (USA)– HRELP at SOAS (UK)– NWO programme (Netherlands)– …
But these data have not yet had sufficient influence on our thinking about language
New Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
www.esf.org
EuroBABEL is different by• creating a framework for collaboration
and integration of theory into primary data analysis
• bringing the newly gathered data to bear on the development of linguistic theory and all areas concerned with the study of language, i.e., the role of language in human society and history.
New Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
www.esf.orgNew Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
EuroBABEL – Topic Areas
I. Linguistic theory and endangered languagesII. Innovative approaches to creating descriptive
resources for endangered languages III. Language, cognition and social organisation in
a cross-linguistic perspective
Ideally, projects will build upon existing data sets, which may include archival material, combined with new fieldwork on the language(s) in question.
www.esf.orgNew Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
EuroBABEL Practicalities
Participating countries: Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, UK and US
Deadline Outline Proposals: Tuesday 20 May 2008
www.esf.org/eurobabel
www.esf.org
www.esf.org
New Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
Part 1: About the European Science Foundation
www.esf.orgNew Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
About ESF
80 Member Organisations (MOs) in 30 countries, beyond the European Union.
o Research funding organisations
o Research performing organisations
o Academies
www.esf.orgNew Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
About ESF
• Established 1974• Independent, non-governmental• Offices in Strasbourg and Brussels• Budget: 45M€• Networking Budget: 1-3B€• Covering all research domains
www.esf.org
New Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
Part 2: About EUROCORES
www.esf.org
fragmentedresearch strengths
new, integratedknowledge
Funding agencies join forcesto support cutting edge collaborative research
on complex / broad questions
Responsive mode•Bottom-up, researcher-led
identification of themes•Consultation with funders
•Combines researcher’s needs and strategic priorities
Create critical mass in a global context:
New approaches, new collaborations, new knowledge
EUROCORES Vision
Complementary to national research programmes
and EC framework programme
New Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
www.esf.orgNew Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
What are EUROCORES?European Collaborative Research Programmes
are researcher-led research co-operations - for all areas of research - that create the critical mass of top-scientists necessary to tackle complex scientific questions.
First testing ground for the possibilities of - and problems - with joining national funding mechanisms at the European level.
Response to urgent need for harmonised and robust instruments and procedures for the coordination of joint activities of national research organisations, complementing EC FP and national programmes.
www.esf.orgNew Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
EUROCORES - Main Features• Multi-national research projects (research groups
from at least 3 different participating countries )• European competition• Funding remains national • ESF ensures quality control • Provides flexible framework for collaboration of
national funding agencies• Investigator driven
A Eurocores programme typically involves• 8-20 participating countries • a research budget of 5-12 M€• A running time of 3-4 years
www.esf.orgNew Directions in Historical Linguistics, Lyon, 14 May 2008
EUROCORES - Where are we now?
Ca. 200 programme proposals submittedCa. 40 programmes selectedCa. 8.000 applications of Collaborative
Research teams (CRPs)Ca. 200 M€ fundingCa. 70 funding organisations from ca. 35
countries, within and outside Europe
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