Date: Thu, 16 Feb 1995 21:08:58 -0500

From: AAllan[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM

Subject: ADS Annual Meeting



If you're a member of the American Dialect Society, next week's mail will

bring you a newsletter with the following announcement. . . .



American Dialect Society

ANNUAL MEETING 1995

Chicago - December 27-30

CALL FOR PAPERS

Deadline: March 20

For the last time, ADS will make its annual home-away-from-home next door to

the Modern Language Association this year. The city is Chicago (where we

will also return in January 1997 for our first Annual Meeting with the

Linguistic Society); our familiar new home-away-from-home is the all-suite

Barclay Chicago-familiar because we stayed there in 1990, new because they're

spending $5 million this year to renovate it for us. Our rate is $79 a night,

single or double occupancy, including full breakfast buffet. Future issues

will tell you more about it, but you don't have to wait; to make sure of your

place you can phone now, (800) 621-8004 or 312/787-6000, for reservations;

ask for the American Dialect Society rate.

Send abstracts to Executive Secretary Allan Metcalf (address on cover) by

March 20. You are encouraged to make a proposal even if you do not have a

paper fully developed.

Please specify whether you need audio-visual equipment, and whether you

prefer our independent sessions (at the Barclay) or our one session at MLA

(requires MLA membership by April 1). Proposals are invited on all topics,

but there are special opportunities in Dialect Obsolescence and Names.

Dialect Obsolescence

Vice president and program chair Walt Wolfram writes: "We will host a special

program on dialect obsolescence. Papers on moribund dialects or obsolescent

dialect forms are heartily encouraged. This session is planned in recognition

of the fact that many dialects of 'safe' languages are endangered, but

endangered dialects have largely been excluded from the language endangerment

canon.

"Several speakers have already agreed to represent different moribund dialect

situations: Salikoko Mufwene (Gullah), Garland Bills (Spanish dialects in the

Southwest), Guy Bailey (obsolescent forms in the South), and Natalie

Schilling-Estes and yours truly (Outer Banks dialects).

"If there is sufficient interest, we will propose to publish a collection on

dialect obsolescence in the United States, either as a special issue of

American Speech or an independent publication. Let's make sure that moribund

dialects threatened with extinction from encroaching varieties of 'safe'

languages are not cast aside as linguists rally to preserve endangered

languages."

Names and Dialect

As usual, the American Name Society will share our hotel and meeting dates.

As unusual-in fact, for the first time-ADS and ANS will jointly sponsor one

or more sessions for presentations of interest to members of both societies.

Please note if you would like your paper considered for an ADS-ANS combined

session.

Please remember the deadline: March 20!



- Allan Metcalf AAllan[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]aol.com