International Linguistic Association

The theme of this conference, "Language and Religion," draws on the universal notion of a bond between speech and worship.

This bond fosters group identity and determines social roles. To the degree that language and religion shapes self-identification as the basis for determining one's membership in the social group, it likewise establishes perspectives on those considered as outsiders. One of the most significant indicators of this emic-etic distinction involves the use of language appropriate to insiders that reveals who is a member and who is not, such as in the classic example of the shibboleth.

Conference Theme: Language and Religion

Topics include the following:

• hieratic language
• the speech registers of different religious practices
• ritual speech and performance
• languages used in religious practices and texts (e.g., Latin, Hebrew, Arabic, etc.)
• translation of sacred texts
• use of the vernacular in the liturgy
• language in missionary activity
• language of spiritual experience
• intelligibility of religious texts
• religion and language variation
• religion and cognition
• religion and the internet
• language learning for religious purposes
• language and religion under different political circumstances (e.g., colonialism, capitalism, autocracy)

Plenary Speakers

• Asma Barlas
• George Jochnowitz and Eve Jochnowitz
• Nicholas Ostler
• Peter Unseth
• Kathleen O'Connor-Bater

Schedule

Click here for the conference schedule

Workshop for Teachers

• Date: Saturday, April 21, 2:15-5:30
• Theme: Grammar for the English Language Classroom

Students learning or improving their spoken and written English need to know the basic structures of the formal English sentence. X-Word Grammar, developed at Teachers College Columbia University, makes learning these structures pedagogically simple and fun. This workshop displays how X-Word Grammar is used in beginning ESL classrooms, in teaching writing to deaf students, and in moving all students from simple to advanced, sophisticated writing. Participants in the workshop will view videos, practice teaching structures, and play a game that integrates punctuation with increasingly sophisticated sentences. Resources for using this powerful system with diverse students will be presented.

Workshop Leaders: Bonny Hart, The New School, Sue Livingston, LaGuardia Community College, CUNY, Alice Deakins, William Patterson University of New Jersey

Conference Registration Information

Registration fees after March 12:

• ILA Members: $250 (conference fee for paid-up 2018 ILA members)
• Non-Members: $310 (conference fee + $60 membership with 1 yr WORD subscription)
• Students/Retirees: $160 (conference fee + $30 membership with 1 yr WORD subscription)
• Undergraduate Students: $10

Conference Venue

St. John's University, New York City, USA

Accommodation

We encourage those seeking lodging for the upcoming ILA conference to stay at the Wyndham Gardens hotel in Fresh Meadows. Those who call and mention "the ILA Conference at Saint John's University" will be offered our conference rate of $140/night. They can be reached at +1-718-619-8818. For more information about the hotel, visit their website at: https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/wyndham-garden/new-york-city-new-york/wyndham-garden-fresh-meadows-queens/overview. When contacting the Wyndham Gardens, conference attendees should use the ID 249788 and make it clear that it is a new reservation. If there is any problem, they should call Levi Lin: +1 212-729-0525.

Those who would prefer to seek separate accommodations may also be eligible for rooms at Saint John's University's rate at the hotels listed here: https://www.stjohns.edu/campuses/queens-campus/area-hotels.

Dining