BAYLAT-FAPESP workshop
Call for participants in two funded workshops in Munich and São Paulo (Brazil) on the topic of Variation and Idiosyncrasy in Germanic and Romance.
The project investigates idiosyncratic and non-systematic linguistic variation through a comparative analysis of Germanic and Romance varieties, with a particular focus on Bavarian and Brazilian Portuguese. Despite major typological and sociolinguistic differences between these varieties, recent research has identified a shared phenomenon: widespread individual variation that cannot be clearly linked to grammatical structure or social meaning.
This poses a challenge to dominant linguistic theories, which traditionally assume that variation is systematically structured—either socially or grammatically—and that individual variation is negligible or reducible to underlying patterns. In contrast, this project argues that such “free” or idiosyncratic variation should not be dismissed as noise or methodological insufficiency, but rather treated as a central feature of language.
Drawing on insights from complex systems theory, the project conceptualizes language as a dynamic and adaptive system, in which diversity and variation enhance flexibility, innovation, and resilience. From this perspective, individual variation is not an anomaly but a key driver of linguistic change and adaptability. Situated within comparative sociolinguistics, the project aims to contribute to ongoing debates by examining how similar patterns of variation emerge across distinct linguistic and social contexts. It also seeks to challenge established assumptions about linguistic structure and promote new theoretical and methodological approaches to variation.
The project will based around two workshops (one in Bavaria and one in Brazil) designed to support early-career researchers by introducing advanced quantitative methods, fostering international collaboration and demonstrating the broader relevance of non-canonical linguistic data for contemporary theoretical discussions.
Dates and locations.
- First Workshop: Munich, Bavaria, Germany. July 21st- 23rd 2026
- Second Workshop: Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil. 6th-9th April 2027.
Language of workshop: English
Funding body.
Bavarian Academic Center for Latin America (BayLat) in cooperation with the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
Available funding.
Travel and accommodation expenses for doctoral students and early-career researchers (see eligibility criteria) from higher education institutions in Bavaria to attend both workshops.
Eligibility Criteria.
All applicants must be affiliated with an institution of higher education in the Free State of Bavaria.
Early-career researchers must have been awarded their PhD under 10 years from the date of first workshop, that is after 21/07/2016.
Doctoral Students must EITHER already have submitted their doctoral dissertations by the date of the first workshop (July 2026) OR be near to completion of their dissertation by this date and plan to submit their dissertation within twelve months of this date. These participants must submit official confirmation from their university or supervisor stating that they are in the final stages of their dissertation.
Submission guidelines:
Prospective candidates should send
- a motivation letter detailing why they would like to participate in the workshops and how the topic of the workshops is related to their research. The text of the motivation letter should be no more than one page long, excluding references. The text should be written in Times New Roman, size 11, and be single-spaced. Title of document = surname_motivation letter
- a curriculum vitae. Title of document = surname_cv
- a short document highlighting how they fulfil the eligibility criteria. Title of document = surname_eligibility.
Submissions should be sent electronically to sekretariat.buelow@germanistik.uni-muenchen.de
Submission deadline: 10pm April 30th 2026.
Organisers and mentors.
Lars Bülow (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München – LMU)
Rosane de Andrade Berlinck (Universidade Estadual Paulista – Unesp/Araraquara)
Andreas Dufter (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München – LMU)
Gladis Massini-Cagliari (Universidade Estadual Paulista – UNESP /Araraquara)
Paul O’Neill (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München – LMU)
Lívia Oushiro (Universidade de São Paulo - USP)
