10/08/2026 -
10/09/2026
ZAS Berlin
Register Variation in Spontaneous Speech
Date: 08-Oct-2026 to 09-Oct-2026
Location: Leibniz-Zentrum Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft (ZAS), Meierottostr. 8, 10719, Berlin, Germany
Workshop Description
This international workshop explores the dynamic nature of register variation in spontaneous speech, examining how situational contexts, cognitive processes, and developmental pathways shape our adaptive language use.
To increase communicative efficiency, speakers adapt their speech to different audiences and circumstances according to socio-culturally recognisable and agreed-upon norms of social behaviour – producing distinct speech registers. Drawing on the conception of linguistic register as “those aspects of socially recurring intraindividual variation in linguistic behaviour that are influenced by situational and functional settings” (Lüdeling et al., 2024), this workshop seeks to deepen our understanding of variation in spontaneous spoken registers, in both first (L1) and additional languages (L2/Ln).
Organisers
Malte Belz (HU Berlin), Melissa Ebert (HU), Stephanie Jannedy (ZAS Berlin), Milena Kühnast (HU), Anke Lüdeling (HU), Beate Lütke (HU), Christine Mooshammer (HU), Miriam Oschkinat (ZAS), Nicole Schumacher (HU), Theres Weißgerber (HU), Melanie Weirich (FSU Jena), and Samantha Weller (HU)
Invited Speakers
Alfred Lameli, Philipps-Universität Marburg
Christine Dimroth, Universität Münster
Jane Wottawa, Université le Mans & Martine Adda-Decker, Université Sorbonne-Nouvelle
Registration
Until 25-Sept-2026.
The workshop is free of charge, but all participants are kindly requested to register here by Sept 25, 2026.
There will be a conference dinner (self-paid) on Thursday, Oct 8, 2026. If you would like to attend the dinner, please make sure to register as soon as possible.
Venue
The SpoSpe workshop takes place at the Leibniz-Zentrum Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft (ZAS).
Leibniz-Zentrum Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft
Eberhard-Lämmert-Saal, Ground floor
Meierottostraße 8
10719 Berlin
Programme
Thursday, 08.10.2026
| 09:00–09:30 |
Welcome and Registration |
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| 09:30–09:45 |
Introduction |
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Session 1 |
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| 09:45–10:45 | Invited speaker Christine Dimroth (Universität Münster) |
TBA |
| 10:45–11:15 |
Coffee break
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|
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11:15–12:45
|
Talk 1 Talk 2 Talk 3 |
|
| 12:45–14:15 |
Lunch break |
|
| Session 2 | ||
|
14:15–15:15
|
Invited speaker |
TBA |
|
15:15–16:45
|
Talk 1 Talk 2 Talk 3 |
|
| 16:45–17:00 |
Coffee break
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|
| 17:00–18:00 |
Poster Session
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18:30 Conference dinner at a local restaurant
Friday, 09.10.2026
| Session 1 | ||
| 09:30–10:30 |
Invited speaker |
TBA |
|
10:30–11:00 |
Coffee break |
|
| 11:00–13:00 |
Talk 1 Talk 2 Talk 3 Talk 4 |
|
| 13:00-13:15 | Discussion and closing remarks |
Contact
For any inquiries, please write to: spospe26-sfb1412@lists.hu-berlin.de
Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) – SFB 1412, 416591334.