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Over the past two decades, genomic studies have played an increasingly important role in exploring the history of our own species. These studies have helped to gain detailed insights into the first appearance of anatomically modern humans in Africa and their subsequent migration to other parts of the world. Genomic approaches also allowed researchers to unravel intricate details of population admixture as well as gene functions and adaptations previously deemed impossible. These developments have opened new avenues for exploring the evolutionary origins and the historical dynamics of human language, one of the most distinctive features of our species.
To take stock of these developments, the ISLE and the Swiss National Competence Center in Research ‘Evolving Language’ and are happy to announce a special symposium on The Molecular Anthropology of Language: Results and Prospects. This two-day event held at the University of Zurich from 29-30 September 2021 will bring together both established and emerging leaders in this burgeoning field.
We invite scientists of advanced PhD stage and beyond who utilize ‘omics’ approaches to contribute to this symposium. We are seeking contributions from researchers applying empirical, theoretical or comparative approaches to study evolution. In a broad sense, topics should include, but are not limited to, all aspects of modern genomics in language-related research. We are delighted that Alicia Sanchez-Mazas (University of Geneva), Simon Fisher (MPI Nijmegen), Mark Stoneking (MPI Leipzig) and Laurent Excoffier (University of Bern) have agreed to deliver keynote addresses. We have likewise secured presentations by the following scholars: Dan Dediu (CNRS - DLL Lyon), Sonja Vernes (St. Andrews), Cedric Boeckx (University of Barcelona), Reyna Gordon (Vanderbilt University), Angela Morgan (MCRI, Australia), Chiara Barbieri (University of Zurich), Patrick Wong (Chinese University of Hong Kong).
September 29, 2021 (RAA-G-01, Rämistrasse 59, 8001 Zürich)
| Time | Title | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
|
08:50-09:00 |
Welcome by the Directors of ISLE and NCCR |
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09:50-09:45 |
Learning to translate the genome in studies of speech and language |
Simon Fisher |
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09:45-10:00 |
Q&A |
|
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10:00-10:30 |
Coffee break |
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10:30-11:00 |
Monogenic related speech and language conditions |
Angela Morgan |
|
11:00-11:15 |
Q&A |
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11:15-11:45 |
The genetics of human self-domestication and the evolution of human language(s) |
Antonio Benítez-Burraco |
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11:45-12:10 |
Q&A |
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12:00-13:30 |
Lunch at UniTurm |
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13:30-14:00 |
Paleo-cognomics? Linking levels and minding gaps |
Cedric Boeckx (ICREA, Barcelona) |
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14:00-14:15 |
Q&A |
|
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14:15-14:45 |
Harnessing advances in genomic methodology to reveal shared biology between language and musicality traits |
Reyna Gordon |
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14:45-15:00 |
Q&A |
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15:00-15:30 |
Coffee break |
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15:30-16:00 |
Matches and mismatches between human genetic history and language diversity |
Chiara Barbieri |
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16:00-16:15 |
Q&A |
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16:15-17:00 |
Archaic genomes and insights into human evolution |
Mark Stoneking (keynote) |
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17:00-17:15 |
Q&A |
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18:00 |
Dinner at Restaurant “Mère Catherine” (Nägelihof 3, 8001 Zürich) |
|
September 30, 2021 (RAA-G-01, Rämistrasse 59, 8001 Zürich)
| Time | Title | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
|
09:00-09:45 |
Genetic legacies of humanity and immunity in African populations |
Alicia Sanchez-Mazas (keynote) |
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09:45-10:00 |
Q&A |
|
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10:00-10:30 |
Coffee break |
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10:30-11:00 |
Exploring correlations in genetic and cultural variation across language families in northeast Asia |
Peter Ranacher |
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11:00-11:15 |
Q&A |
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11:15-11:45 |
What bats can tell us about vocal learning and spoken language? |
Sonja Vernes |
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11:45-12:10 |
Q&A |
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12:00-13:30 |
Lunch at UniTurm |
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13:30-14:00 |
Culture, environment and genes interact in complex ways to “nudge” language change and influence linguistic diversity |
Dan Dediu |
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14:00-14:15 |
Q&A |
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14:15-14:45 |
Individual differences in Lexical Tone Perception |
Patrick Wong |
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14:45-15:00 |
Q&A |
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15:00-15:30 |
Coffee break |
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15:30-16:00 |
From macro to micro linguistic and genetic evolution on the African shores of the transatlantic slave trade |
Valentin Thouzeau & |
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16:00-16:15 |
Q&A |
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16:15-17:00 |
Inferring the history of populations with ancient DNA: Revisiting the origin of early European farmers |
Laurent Excoffier (keynote) |
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17:00-17:15 |
Q&A |
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17:15- 17:30 |
Wrap-Up |
NCCR Directors |
| 18:00 |
Dinner at Restaurant Santa Lucia Teatro (Rämistrasse 32, 8001 Zürich) |
