Report on the International Conference on Endangered Languages, Tbilisi, 20-24 October 2016

By: Tjeerd de Graaf

This Conference has been organized by the Giorgi Akhvlediani Society for the History of Linguistics and Ivané Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, under the auspices of CIPL, Comité International Permament des Linguistes. The aim of the conference was to gather the researchers working on the problems on endangered languages in different countries.

Main themes of the conference were related to Language Endangerment and Endangered Languages.
One of the invited speakers was Tjeerd de Graaf, who reported on the Use of Historical Data and Fieldwork for the Study of Ethnic Groups, of which here the text and the power point presentation are available.

A central issue during the conference was the complicated language situation in Georgia and surrounding countries, which was discussed in many papers. The local linguists provided important information about the languages in the countries of the Caucasus, which will be useful for the work of Mercator Research Centre. In the future it might be possible to prepare regional dossiers about the teaching of regional or minority languages in these countries and further exchange information with Georgian colleagues. Then it will also be possible that Georgia joins other European projects, such as the Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

More information about the conference in Tbilisi:

A photo impression of the conference and the following excursion to some interesting touristic spots near the town of Gori.
View the contributed article, and presentation by Tjeerd de Graaf