Call for papers

The conference on ``The Syntax of Nominal Copular Clauses: Cross-linguistic description and formal theories'' (SyNCC) is part of the AHRC/DFG-funded SynCop project (http://syncop.info). It will focus on the syntax and semantics of sentences with a nominal predicate, aiming for a discussion with both breadth and depth. The immediate goal of the conference is to bring together both theoretical insights from in-depth analysis and a broadening of the empirical landscape to include work on un(der)-studied languages. The longer-term goal is to further advance our understanding of the principles underpinning the syntactic and semantic characteristics of non-verbal predication.

The topic of non-verbal predication has attracted significant interest. Copular sentences provide a valuable framework for exploring, among other topics: the source of asymmetry in linguistic representations (den Dikken 2006; Heycock 2012), agreement (Moro 1997; Béjar & Kahnemuyipour 2017, 2018; Heycock 2012; Hartmann & Heycock 2017, 2020; Coon & Keine 2020), case (Sigurðsson 2006), information structure (Heggie 1988; Mikkelsen 2005; Heycock & Kroch 2002; Hartmann 2016), cross-linguistic variation (Arche et al 2019), and the relation of identity/equation in semantics (Schlenker 2003, Percus & Sharvit 2024, Fiorin & Delfitto 2025, Delfitto & Fiorin 2025).

Questions related to how predicative nominal phrases are semantically and syntactically different from argumental nominal phrases have also attracted significant interest. For example, what is the syntax of nominal phrases that occur in predicative and argument positions? How does the internal structure of the phrases contribute to the different interpretations (Roy 2013; Cheng, Heycock & Zamparelli 2017)? Which aspects of definiteness (familiarity or uniqueness) can be encoded within a predicative DP, and which ones must be expressed in an argument DP (Coppock & Beaver 2015)?

We invite contributions on topics on the syntax of nominal predication; these include but are not limited to the following:

• The syntactic and semantic structure(s) properties of nominal copular clause subtypes, taking into account their clausal environment(s).
• The internal structure of nominals in copular sentences as predicates, individual concepts, concealed questions, etc.
• The nature of the syntactic structures in which nominals in copular clauses are embedded.
• The relation between nominal and other types of non-verbal predication (APs, PPs).
• Accounts of case, agreement and concord properties, information structure, and the distribution of copular elements of nominal copular clauses both within and between languages.
• Connectivity effects in non-verbal predication.

Invited speakers:

• Isabelle Charnavel (University of Geneva)
• Susana Bejar (University of Toronto)

Abstract Submission

We invite abstracts for 30-minute presentations (+ 10-minute discussion) and/or poster presentations. You may submit at most two abstracts, of which only one may be single authored. Abstracts must be anonymised and should not exceed two pages including examples and references (DIN A4, 2.5cm margin, 12pt font).

Please submit your abstract as .pdf via: https://openreview.net/group?id=SyNCC/2026

Deadline for abstract submission: Thursday, 30th April 2026

Notification of acceptance: early June 2026

Short proposals

As the conference also aims to expand the empirical basis of research on copular clauses, we particularly welcome research that builds on recent and original fieldwork utilizing the Fieldwork Questionnaire on Copular Clauses/Nonverbal predication that is under development by the project (available here: https://pub.uni-bielefeld.de/record/3005664). To encourage such work, we also invite short (maximum one page, DIN A4, 2.5cm margin, 12pt font) proposals for posters that will set out key aspects of how nominal predication plays out in one or more un(der)-described languages, on the basis of original data obtained utilizing the questionnaire. For such proposals we offer an accelerated process of review/acceptance. These short proposals should state: a) the proposed language(s) of investigation; b) any prior experience of the author(s) in working on that language / those languages; and c) who the language consultants will be / how data will be obtained. There will be an earlier deadline for these short proposals, and we will aim to respond within 2 weeks.

You may submit at most two short proposals, of which only one may be single authored. This does not restrict your ability to submit long-form abstracts by the April deadline as outlined above.

Please submit your short proposal by email to syncop@uni-bielefeld.de ; use “Submission - Fieldwork poster - AuthorLastName” as the header.

Deadline for short proposals: Monday, 3rd November 2025

Notification of acceptance: mid-November 2025

Organisation:

Mary Amaechi (Bielefeld University),

Jutta M. Hartmann (Bielefeld University),

Caroline Heycock (The University of Edinburgh),

Esther Lam (The University of Edinburgh),

Isabelle Roy (University of Nantes),

Roberto Zamparelli (University of Trento)