Devoted to the recent theoretical and empirical advancements in the influential event integration theory formulated by Prof Leonard Talmy, the Big Event intends to shed new light onto the interplay between language and mind in multiple domains. 

Experts will deliver short talks on the theoretical and empirical developments in the event integration theory proposed by Prof. Leonard Talmy.

Prof. Leonard Talmy, one of the founders of cognitive linguistics, first formulated the event integration theory. This theory examines the cross-linguistic tendency for languages to combine related events into ‘macro-events’ and discovers that world languages can be generally classified into several types in terms of how they lexicalise macro-events. Ever since its establishment, the event integration theory has not only provided a unique perspective into language typology, but has also inspired a vast body of research into the interplay between language and mind, child language development, second language acquisition, and diachronic typological shift.

The Big Event will host two sessions: Day 1 will take place on 25 February 9am-1pm GMT, and Day 2 in late April 2022 (exact time and date TBA). 

Our speakers on Day 1 include:

• Prof. Leonard Talmy (State University of New York at Buffalo)
• Assoc. Prof. Eva Soroli (University of Lille)
• Prof. Fuyin Thomas Li (Beihang University)
• Prof. Jordan Zlatev (Lund University)
• Prof. Johan Blomberg (Nicolaus Copernicus University)

The link to this online event will be shared with registered individuals one week before the event.

Read the news story summarising what took place on the first day of The Big Event.