The Lavender Languages and Linguistics Conference is an international conference for
LGBT linguistics
LGBT linguistics is the study of language as used by members of LGBT communities. Related or synonymous terms include lavender linguistics, advanced by William Leap in the 1990s, which "encompass sa wide range of everyday language practices" in ...
and other related queer language research and discourse studies. It provides a place for emerging queer linguistics scholarship. The conference is the longest continually running LGBT studies conference in the US.
In 2017 the conference expanded to a Summer Institute with 10 days of class discussion, research opportunities and informal conversations exploring topics of current interest in language and sexuality studies, queer linguistics, and various lavender language themes.
History
The Lavender Languages and Linguistics Conference was founded in 1993 by
William Leap
William Leap is an emeritus professor of anthropology at American University (Washington, DC) and an affiliate professor in the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program at Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL). He works in the overlap ...
to coincide with the
. At the time, research on these topics was considered marginal within linguistics, and the conference was a key place for researchers to come together to discuss issues in the field.
By the 20th conference, there were over 80 presentations and 150 attendees. The conference was host yearly at
American University
The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...
in Washington, DC until 2017 when the conference began to move each year.
A meta-synthesis of conference abstracts by Paul Baker and published in Milani's chapter in ''The Oxford Handbook of Language and Society'' found early work presented at the conference focused on the existence of "gay language" such as
Polari
Polari () is a form of slang or cant used in Britain and Ireland by some actors, circus and fairground showmen, professional wrestlers, merchant navy sailors, criminals, sex workers and the gay subculture. There is some debate about its origins ...
and "lesbian language". In line with the trajectory of the field, more recent work has focused on how various linguistic features
index
Index (or its plural form indices) may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
* Index (''A Certain Magical Index''), a character in the light novel series ''A Certain Magical Index''
* The Index, an item on a Halo megastru ...
different identities.
The Journal of Language and Sexuality (though not officially linked to LavLang) is closely affiliated with the conference. It was established venue to publish queer linguistics research.
Conferences
Lavender Languages Summer Institute
The Lavender Language Institute, a summer program that Leap founded at
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University (Florida Atlantic or FAU) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Boca Raton, Florida, and satellite campuses in Dania Beach, Florida, Dania Beach, Davie, Florida, Davie, Fort Lauderd ...
in 2017, offers training in queer linguistics to undergraduates, grad students, and others interested in language and sexuality studies.
External links
* https://www.facebook.com/lavlang
* https://twitter.com/lavlang?lang=en
* https://twitter.com/LavenderLangFAU
* https://www.fau.edu/artsandletters/lavender-languages/
References
{{Reflist
Linguistics conferences
LGBT conferences
International conferences
Recurring events established in 1993
LGBT studies