Linguistics Special Lecture Series (LSLS) 2026 No. 2

21 February | Saturday | 6:00 PM (PST)

YouTube Livestream (ONLINE)

Catch us live on <https://www.youtube.com/live/zJoQQ6lgH9o>.

The Linguistics Special Lecture Series (LSLS) features talks by invited experts on various topics under the fields of theoretical and applied linguistics. For the second installment of LSLS 2026, visiting research fellow Eeva M. Sippola, professor at the University of Helsinki, will give a talk on sustainable sociolinguistic research in creole contexts such as in the case of Chabacano.

ABSTRACT

This talk explores sustainable practices in sociolinguistic research on language contact, focusing on ethical and methodological challenges in documenting minoritized varieties. Contact languages, such as the Chabacano creoles, often face issues of prestige and representation, requiring approaches that minimize researcher bias and foreground community perspectives. We review sociolinguistic factors influencing language use and examine best practices for data collection and analysis, including participatory methods and transparent data management. Challenges such as informed consent, accessibility, and long-term impact are discussed alongside strategies for producing research that reflects authentic language practices. A case study on folk linguistic perceptions illustrates how community narratives can inform equitable research design. By integrating reflexivity and collaboration, this study argues for methodologies that support language revitalization while advancing theoretical insights into language contact.

This event is free and open to the public.