INAR (International Network for Address Research) is a recently formed network, following the workshop on ‘Sociolinguistics and Grammar of Terms of Address’ held in Berlin in the early summer of 2013. The aim of the network is to describe address in as wide a number of languages as possible in order to arrive at an overarching model of address. It will do so by enhancing closer ties between members, all of them linguists who have been working on address for years.

This workshop is the first in a series that will take place once a year, organized by different network members around the globe. We wish to bring together practitioners in the field the specific workshop focuses on (e.g. diachrony, translation etc.) and researchers studying address in different languages and working in different frameworks (e.g. sociolinguistics, interactional studies, pragmatics and grammatical description).

Aim of the workshop:
Many theories of address so far have been rather static, implicitly or explicitly assuming that address, once established between interlocutors, will remain the same throughout the relationship. Lately, interaction studies and studies focusing on address in the social media have shown that change in address forms occurs far more often than previously thought, indexing the interlocutors’ perception of the current state of their interpersonal relationship. Also, there is a strong ludic element to be observed. In the case of multilingual address choice, interlocutors may opt for one language over another in order to avoid having to choose between address pronouns that may be deemed too intimate or too distanced (as is the case of English as a Lingua Franca on international conferences).

The workshop invites papers that observe the negotiation of address choice in ongoing interaction and variation in address choice. Topics might include, but are not limited to, discussion of the following phenomena:
- strategies for permanent change in address pronouns: how exactly is address ‘negotiated’ between interlocutors?
- temporary changes and their motivation, e.g. to mark a heightened emotional state (anger, but also fondness and love)
- choice and negotiation of address in specific groups, e.g. in the workplace or in internet discussion forums
- address choice in larger groups, where some participants use T-address, while others use V-address
- playing with pronominal and nominal address, e.g. for ludic purposes, teasing, name-calling, flattering, or ironic distancing
- language choice in order to avoid decision on address in another language

We welcome papers on any kind of language, especially on sign languages, lesser studied languages and in multilingual environments. It is intended to publish a selection of papers in an edited, peer-reviewed volume.
Abstracts are invited for 30-minute talks (plus 10 min. discussion). They should be no longer than 500 words, including examples and references.

Venue:
Universität Hildesheim, Germany; Bühler-Campus

Contact person: Bettina Kluge
Meeting email: klugeb@uni-hildesheim.de
Website: to be announced

Deadline for receipt of abstracts: March 15, 2014
Notification of acceptance of paper: March 25, 2014

Conference fee: 75 euros (40 for students), including snacks and refreshments during the breaks and conference dinner.

Meldung von Bettina Kluge.