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Regular version of the site

Linguistic Convergence Laboratory

About the Laboratory

Linguistic Convergence Laboratory opened in 2017. It focuses on processes of convergence in the history of languages, i.e. the processes by which common features spread among languages due to contact between their speakers. The laboratory aims at modelling processes of convergence and developing tools to study these phenomena using data from electronic corpora of spoken language. 

new Resources by Linguistic Convergence Laboratory


Illustration for news: The Tsnal Lezgi spoken corpus has been published

The Tsnal Lezgi spoken corpus has been published

A new electronic resource has been created at the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory — the spoken corpus of the Tsnal variety of Lezgi.

Illustration for news: News from the fields on Lake Velyo: the fourth trip of the Society of Field Linguists took place

News from the fields on Lake Velyo: the fourth trip of the Society of Field Linguists took place

On October 1-2, the fourth retreat seminar of the Society of Field Linguists took place, organized jointly by the staff of the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory and the Institute for Linguistic Studies (RSA).

Illustration for news: ‪Former postdoctoral fellow in the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory Ezequiel Koile and his co-authors published a paper in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

‪Former postdoctoral fellow in the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory Ezequiel Koile and his co-authors published a paper in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Illustration for news: TALD (Typological Atlas of the Languages of Daghestan) v. 1.0.0 Now Public

TALD (Typological Atlas of the Languages of Daghestan) v. 1.0.0 Now Public

The Linguistic Convergence Laboratory has released TALD: the Typological Atlas of the Languages of Daghestan. This new resource provides information about linguistic structures that are characteristic of Daghestan, and offers different types of map visualizations to illustrate the geographical and genealogical distribution of features.

Linguistic Convergence Laboratory invites applications for postdoctoral research positions

Linguistic Convergence Laboratory invites applications for postdoctoral research positions in the field of language contact; language corpora; linguistic typology; sociolinguistics; languages of the Caucasus; languages of Russia.

Illustration for news: In 2021, members of the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory published three articles on the Russian language in Dagestan

In 2021, members of the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory published three articles on the Russian language in Dagestan

Dagestan is a relatively new territory for the spread of the Russian language. At the end of the 19th century, very few people spoke Russian here. In addition to indigenous languages, which Dagestan is very rich in (linguists count more than forty languages ​​in this small territory), local people spoke Azerbaijani, Georgian, Chechen and Arabic. But there has never been a language common for all residents of Dagestan (the language of interethnic communication or lingua franca). Russian became the first such language for Dagestan.

Illustration for news: Members of the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory Michael Daniel and Nina Dobrushina gave two lectures each at the University of Pavia

Members of the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory Michael Daniel and Nina Dobrushina gave two lectures each at the University of Pavia

On November 3-5, the members of the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory Michael Daniel and Nina Dobrushina gave two lectures each at the University of Pavia.

Illustration for news: Second cycle of the online course on the East Caucasian languages by the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory

Second cycle of the online course on the East Caucasian languages by the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory

This fall the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory will organize a free online course on the East Caucasian (alias Nakh-Daghestanian) language family. The course will start on November 3.

Illustration for news: Members of the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory published a paper in Language

Members of the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory published a paper in Language

In early October, members of the Linguistic Convergence Laboratory published a paper in Language . Language is the flagship journal of the Linguistic Society of America and one of the most respected general linguistics journals in the world; perhaps the most prestigious one. Since the journal’s launch in 1925, it has seen the publication of only two papers whose first author is a researcher affiliated with a Russian university or institute.

Illustration for news: On September 16, 2021, we lost Alexandra Vydrina

On September 16, 2021, we lost Alexandra Vydrina

On September 16, 2021, we lost Alexandra Vydrina, a gifted scholar, a dedicated Africanist, a remarkable personality and a friend.