We are pleased to announce a workshop on the “Grammar of Mimetics”, to be held on 10-11 May 2013 at SOAS, University of London. Mimetic or “sound-symbolic” words in Japanese (giongo/giseigo/gitaigo) constitute a significant lexical category. Due to the prominent non-arbitrary relationships between form and meaning, their sound symbolism has been extensively studied, especially from phonological and semantic perspectives. Mimetic words appear to exist as a grammatical sub-system in all languages, but their scope and productivity varies greatly. They play a central role in the grammar of Japanese, featuring very early in children’s language. The workshop aims to focus on these grammatical aspects, using Japanese as a model or starting-point for analyses of mimetics in other languages.

Abstracts are invited for 20-minute presentations on the grammatical properties of mimetic words, from the point of view of distribution and use, as well as first and second language acquisition. Research into the grammar of mimetic words might investigate at the lexical level their categories, their ability to function as predicates, as adjectives, or as adverbs, or indeed their level of fit into the core system of grammatical categories. At the syntactic level, research might investigate the syntax of mimetics words, such as whether they can project phrases directly, or require other functional material, or how they interact with other aspects of phrasal or clausal syntax.

Keynote speakers for the workshop are: Professor Keiko Murasugi (Nanzan University, Nagoya), Professor Kiyoko Toratani (York University, Toronto) and Professor Natsuko Tsujimura (Indiana University, Bloomington). We aim to publish an edited volume in English from the workshop proceedings.

To be considered, please submit a one-page proposal of no more than 500 words and a separate short biography of no more than 100 words to ni3@soas.ac.uk by Friday 1 February 2013. The workshop organisers are Noriko Iwasaki (SOAS, University of London), Mika Kizu (SOAS, University of London) and Peter Sells (University of York). The workshop is generously supported through a Meiji Jingu Research Grant, a Daiwa Foundation Small Grant, and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.