Joint-Seminar on "Linguistic perspectives on the history of Southeast Asia:
Rethinking the potential of historical linguistics within Area Studies"
Date & Time: 24th February 2012 (Fri.) , 9:30-18:00
Venue: Meeting room on the 2nd floor of Main building, iCeMS Complex 1,
Kyoto University
http://www.icems.kyoto-u.ac.jp/e/direction.html
(1)Speaker: Dr. James Matisoff, University of California, Berkeley
Title: "The present state of Sino-Tibetan studies: Progress and outstanding issues"
(2)Speaker: Dr. Gerard Diffloth Ecole Francaise d'extreme-orient, Siem Reap
Title: "Higher grouping in the Austroasiatic family and its historical implications"
(3)Speaker: Dr. James Chamberlain, Mahasarakham University
Title: "Comparative Tai-Kadai, proto-zoology and regional history"
(4)Speaker: Dr. Alexander Adelaar, University of Melbourne
Title: "Austronesian subgrouping and migrations, with special reference to Malagasy"
(5)Speaker: Dr.Weera Ostapirat, Mahidol University
Title: "The Comparative Method and its linguistic implications for the history and prehistory
of Southeast Asia"
Abstract:
Historical linguistics is the study of language change, and provides a dynamic perspective
on social change and cultural interaction over time. Languages themselves can be analyzed
as ‘historical documents’. Historical linguists use both written records and spoken language
to identify patterns of linguistic change, reconstruct the pre-history of languages, and establish
relationships between languages. In doing this, historical linguistics has contributed to our
understanding of ethnicity, population migrations, historical homelands and the nature and
timing of cultural development and exchange.
Speakers of five major linguistic families - Sino-Tibetan, Austronesian, Austroasiatic, Tai-Kadai,
and Hmong-Mien - have been moving and interacting through the region to produce the social
mosaics in which Southeast Asianists currently work. This symposium brings together five preeminent
scholars of historical linguistics in the Southeast Asian region. The group represents a deep base
of knowledge spanning the major language families of the region, along with a range of perspectives
on the application of historical linguistics to understanding the Southeast Asian region. This is a rare
opportunity to interact with some of the leaders in this field, and a valuable chance to explore the
potential synergies between historical linguistics and area studies.