CFP: ‘The Language of Persuasion: Linguistic Approaches to Its Theory and Practice in the Classical World’ (10–12 September 2014)
The Language of Persuasion
Linguistic Approaches to Its Theory and Practice in the Classical World
10–12 September 2014, University College London
CALL FOR PAPERS
Persuasion is a psychological phenomenon which is deeply connected to language. The focus of the conference is to explore the nature and role of persuasion as linguistic exercise in classical literature and culture from a variety of different perspectives. These include modern linguistics, stylistics, ancient rhetoric and criticism, and comparative approaches taking into account modern and extra-European rhetorical practices and traditions. The convenors are Tzu-I Liao (UCL) and Alessandro Vatri (Oxford) and the event is under the auspices of Chris Carey and Stephen Colvin. Papers would be warmly received on the following themes:
Persuasion through language: insights into the linguistic strategies put into effect as means of persuasion in classical literature (fiction and non-fiction, including technical and didactic literature); Language through rhetoric: rhetorical literature as a collection of mother-tongue metalinguistic material, which may help us reconstruct language use in precise and well-defined communicative tasks;
Rhetoric and practice: critical approaches to the ancient rhetorical theories and observations on the psychological effects of language, based on linguistic analysis of texts which aim to persuade; Literary representations of persuasion: linguistic analysis of persuasion ‘in action’ as depicted in both classical literary prose and poetry (e.g. historiography, drama, etc.);
Persuasion across languages: insights on how rhetorical concepts involving linguistic features have been adapted across linguistic borders (from Greek into Latin down to the modern European languages)
Keynote speaker: Ineke Sluiter (Leiden)
Confirmed speakers include Anna Bonifazi (Heidelberg), Stephen Colvin (UCL), Casper de Jonge (Leiden), Caroline Kroon (UvA), Tobias Reinhardt (Oxford), Donna Shalev (HUJI).
We invite submissions of abstracts for papers suitable for a 20 minute presentation. Proposals should be approx. 300 words in length (excluding references) and must be submitted as a PDF attachment by 9 March 2014. Proposals and contributions are expected to be in English. Please send all abstracts and inquiries to languageofpersuasion14@gmail.com.