ESSLLI workshop
Proper Use of Quantification in Ordinary Language (PUQOL)
8 - 12 August
Ljubljana, Slovenia

Contact Person: Stephanie Solt

Meeting Email: puqol2011@gmail.com
Web Site: http://www.zas.gwz-berlin.de/workshop_puqol.html
Linguistic Field(s): Cognitive Science; Pragmatics; Semantics

Call Deadline: 15 February 2011

Meeting Description:

Despite 40 years of research, quantification is currently again a central topic of research at the interface between logic and language. Generalized Quantifier Theory (GQT) and Discourse Representation Theory (DRT) still are standard bearers when it comes to the representation of quantifier meaning.  But a new frontier in quantification research is to account for the use of quantifiers, in addition to the meaning they contribute to sentence and discourse.

In GQT and DRT, many quantifiers are semantically identical to one another: most and more than half; at least three, more than two and three; and about 100 and some 100. Even when there is no identity, the meanings of quantifiers overlap, and many quantifiers could be used truthfully to describe the same situation.  Nevertheless, the choice of a specific quantifier by a speaker has semantic and pragmatic consequences, and listeners are sensitive to the subtleties of a speaker's choice. The goal of a theory of quantifier use is an account of how speakers choose one of the many true quantifiers and how listeners interpret a speaker's choice.

The PUQOL workshop aims to bring together current research within semantics, logic, pragmatics, and cognitive science that addresses quantifier use within the perspective of model theoretic semantics and pragmatics.

Invited speakers:

- Cornelia Ebert (Stuttgart University)
- Bart Geurts (Nijmegen University)
- Larry Horn (Yale University)
- Dag Westerståhl (Gothenburg University)

PUQOL will take place as part of the 23rd European Summer School in Logic, Language and Information (ESSLLI 2011): http://esslli2011.ijs.si/

Call for Papers:

Abstracts are invited for 30-minute talks (including discussion) on any topic relating to the theme of quantifier use, including:

- The cognitive processes underlying quantifier production and understanding

- Models of vagueness and approximation in quantifier meaning

- The link between information structure and quantification

- The interaction of quantification with pragmatic processes

- Repercussions of work on quantifier use for semantic theory

- First language acquisition of quantifier meaning and use

- Formal experimental results of particular use to the investigation of quantification

Submission Details:

Abstracts must not exceed 2 pages in length (A4 or letter-sized, 12-point type, 1-inch margins) including examples and references, and must be anonymous.  All abstracts must be submitted electronically in pdf form via Easychair.

Link for Abstract Submission:

http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=puqol2011

Practical Information:

PUQOL will take place as part of the 23rd European Summer School in Logic, Language and Information (ESSLLI 2011). Prior to the workshop, speakers will have the opportunity to submit an extended abstract for inclusion in the ESSLLI proceedings.

All participants must register for ESSLLI. We have applied for funds to offer partial reimbursement of the ESSLLI registration fee to Ph.D. students and recent graduates whose papers are accepted to PUQOL.  More details regarding this possibility will be available when acceptance notices are sent.

PUQOL is in part funded by the ESF EUROCORES Programme LogICCC. Researchers associated with LogICCC may be eligible for travel reimbursement from this source.  But the workshop is open to all researchers and selection of abstracts will be based on scientific quality and fit to the workshop theme alone.

Program Committee:

- Cornelia Ebert (Stuttgart University)
- Bart Geurts (Nijmegen University)
- Rick Nouwen (Utrecht University)
- Larry Horn (Yale University)
- Uli Sauerland (ZAS Berlin)
- Stephanie Solt (ZAS Berlin)
- Dag Westerståhl (Gothenburg University)

Important Dates:

Submission deadline:   February 15, 2011
Notifications:   April 15, 2011
Extended abstract for ESSLLI 2011 Proceedings:  June 1, 2011
Workshop:  August 8-12, 2011

Organizers: Uli Sauerland, Stephanie Solt
Contact: puqol2011@gmail.com