African Linguistics School 2011

长期以来，非洲语言一直是语言学领域重要理论和实证发现的来源。然而，由于参与语言理论制定的非洲学者相对较少，从非洲语言调查中获得的关于语言的见解受到限制。该项目将于2011年夏季在西非国家贝宁资助一所为期两周的理论和描述语言学学校，以解决这一短缺问题。非洲语言学学院（ALS）将专注于语法，语义，音韵学，语言接触，手语和现场方法。课程范围从入门到高级。ALS将从五个方面支持非洲大陆现有的语言学项目，从而促进语言学领域的发展：首先，仅仅是举办一个有组织的语言学家的国际聚会，就能引起对该领域的关注，并增加其在政策制定者和公众眼中的合法性。其次，即使在互联网时代，北美和欧洲语言学理论的发展与它们在非洲的传播之间往往存在时间差；渐冻症会加强接触。第三，ALS将有助于发现和鼓励有前途的年轻非洲语言学家，从而增加他们在美国（以及加拿大、欧洲和澳大利亚）进行研究生学习的机会。第四，学校将允许学生建立专业关系和社会网络（与教授和他们的同学）需要进行合作研究，并在语言学上取得成功。第五，通过ALS学生和教师之间的讨论，学生在课程中的演讲，以及学生之间的合作，ALS将直接促进非洲学生对非洲语言的原创研究的创造和发展。

The languages of Africa have long been a source of important theoretical and empirical discoveries across linguistics. However, the insights to be gained about language from the investigation of African languages have been limited by the comparatively small number of African scholars who are participating in the formulation of linguistic theory. This project funds a two-week school in theoretical and descriptive linguistics in the West African nation of Benin during the summer of 2011 which will address this shortage. The African Linguistics School (ALS) will focus on syntax, semantics, phonology, language contact, sign language and field methods. Courses will range from the introductory to the advanced. The ALS will bolster the field of linguistics in Africa by supporting existing programs on the continent in five ways: The first is that simply having an organized international gathering of linguists calls attention to the field and increases its legitimacy in the eyes of policy makers and the public. Secondly, even in the age of the Internet, there is often a time lag between developments in linguistic theory in North America and Europe and their dissemination in Africa; the ALS will heighten contact. Third, the ALS will help both to identify and to encourage promising young African linguists and thereby increase their opportunities for graduate study in the United States (as well as Canada, Europe, and Australia). Fourth, the school will permit the students to build professional relationships and social networks (with the professors and their fellow students) needed to do collaborative research and to be successful in linguistics. Fifth, ALS will directly contribute to the creation and development of original research on African languages by African students, via discussions between the ALS students and faculty, the presentations that students give in their courses, and collaborative work among students.