To strengthen our efforts towards a common goal: advancing the scientific study of Andean Spanish. To create networks among scholars which facilitate access to linguistic and multidisciplinary research, as well as to increase the circulation of current scientific works--some of which can be found on this website.
This is a virtual meeting space dedicated to all scholars of the Spanish language as it is spoken and written in the Andes. Researchers in linguistics, sociolinguistics, areal typology, indigenous languages, ethnology, and anthropology, among other disciplines, are invited to participate.
We warmly welcome the participation of young scholars who wish to join this challenging area of research.
Freiburg, Germany, October 7th-9th, 2009
Outcomes and perspectives
The participants in the First International Workshop "Español de los Andes" agreed to the following: 1. Operational principles for the scientific community dedicated to the study of Andean Spanish; 2. Research topics; 3. Points of commonality; 4. Future directions.
Operational principles
The group agrees to follow an ethical code composed of three principles which apply equally within the group and in our relations with the community at large.
- Collaboration: The scholars will offer mutual support through dialogue and by coordinating their activities and projects; likewise, they agree to support indigenous and popular groups and associations with research initiatives and social projects.
- Reciprocity: Just as each scholar receives contributions from the group, s/he has an obligation to make contributions; likewise, in the spirit of exchange with individuals and/or organizations who support our research, as scholars we should seek to distribute our results or related benefits to the communities in which we work.
- Joint responsibility: All members share responsibility for the success of the group, and each member takes individual responsibility for achieving the group's objectives. Certain individuals will take direct responsibility for each task or activity, but the group as a whole bears collective responsibility.
Research topics
The studies that have been carried out or are being carried out by participants in the group follow the general research topics described below.
- Studies of the lexicon under strict lexicographic criteria: Quechua and Aymara lexical influence in Andean Spanish; glossary of typical Peruvian idioms, etc.
- Studies of contact-induced change in Spanish in contact with Quechua and Aymara; bi- or multi-directional changes in contact varieties of these languages; grammaticalization processes.
- Studies of discourse, communicative genres, discursive traditions, conversations; manuscripts, chronicles, oral histories, testimony, and stories.
- Sociolinguistic and ethnographic studies; identity, mobility, migration, urbanization, new technologies and their corresponding linguistic dimensions.
Points of commonality
These distinct lines of investigation are united at the following junctures:
- Reference to the Andes, in the operative sense of the Andes as a space formed by a complex of networks or spheres formed by communities of practice in which Quechua/Aymara culture and language form an important dimension.
- Openness to interdisciplinary studies, without losing sight of language's simultaneous tendencies towards autonomy and functionality for communicative purposive in particular historical contexts.
- The common search for theoretical frameworks that are both dynamic and explanatory. Some concepts or metaphors that may contribute to the construction of these theories or models have already been outlined: convergence, the incipient presence of categories that are likely to develop in the future, language as macroecology which contains both an internal ecology (structured and re-structured) linked with an external ecology (social and ethnographic conditions of speakers and languages).
Future directions
This group will take on two principal activities: (a) create, develop, and update a web site; (b) organize colloquia which foster face-to-face encounters, debate, and decision-making about future initiatives and projects.
Web site
- Guidelines: The construction of the web page takes the following guidelines into account.
- We aim to reach three types of audiences: the scientific community, including the Anglophone community; particular communities, that is, all those who have participated in the research process, including informants, indigenous organizations, popular organizations, bilingual teachers, etc; and finally, sponsors, donors, and the general public.
- Make the main page available in various languages (Spanish, Quechua, English, etc.)
- Establish links with other pages related to the Andes.
- Responsabilities:
- Definition of technical needs and preparation of corpora to be hosted on the web site.
Hella Olbertz and Stefan Pfänder, with the support of Daniel Alcón.
- Development of the concept of convergence
Azucena Palacios and Stefan Pfänder
- Promotion of intellectual exchange and working papers
Julio Calvo Pérez, Víctor Fernández Mallat and Juan C. Godenzzi
- Establishment of transcription systems for the corpora
Mario Soto
- Development of an open bibliography to be hosted on the Web.
Hella Olbertz and Víctor Fernández Mallat
- Development of a list of unpublished or current theses and dissertations
Chiara Albertin and España Villegas
- Selection of other types of Andean texts (non-academic)
Martha Bulnes-Vera
- Translation of the main page to other languages
Anna Babel, Víctor Fernández Mallat, Mario Soto, Chiara Albertin
Colloquia
- Organization of the Second Workshop (Montreal, May 20-22nd, 2009)
Juan C. Godenzzi and Victor Fernández
- Conversations with the Pontífica Universidad Católica in Perú and with the Academia Peruana de la Lengua in hopes of holding the third workshop in Lima.
Juan C. Godenzzi
