Conference of Toruń 2013
International Conference on Balkan Linguistics at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 6–7 May 2013
The University of Toruń
The Mascots of the University of Toruń.
Foto: Sorin PaligaTopic
From 6th to 7th May 2013, the international conference of the Commission for Balkan Linguistics was held at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. The event was organized by the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) and our Commission. The hosting university also acted as co-organizer. The meeting brought together leading scholars from Southeast and Central Europe and beyond, focusing on Balkan linguistics, language history, and areal-typological studies.
The speech of Jarosław Rosochacki, Consul General of Albania in Poland.
Foto: Sorin PaligaThe conference opened with welcome remarks, followed by the first scientific session: Helmut W. Schaller (Marburg) discussed the German heritage in Balkan languages, highlighting the long-standing contacts and influence of German lexical and cultural elements. Adrian Poruciuc (Iași) analyzed the chronology of Old Germanic loans in Southeast European languages. Sorin Paliga (Bucharest) presented the origin of Slavic trъgъ and its circulation in place names, linking it to medieval and early modern trade networks across Europe. Corinna Leschber (Berlin) explored the implications of macro-areal linguistics for the study of large-scale language contact phenomena. Andriej Sobolev (St. Petersburg) examined Greek influence on Aromanian, while Elena Scarlatoiu (Bucharest) discussed the vulnerabilities of linguistic enclaves in Southeastern Europe. The morning session concluded with Michał Głuszkowski (Toruń), who presented a theoretical analysis of creolization and Balkanization as outcomes of dialect contact, questioning the universality of mixed languages.
The participants of the conference
Foto: Ina ArapiAfter discussion and a lunch break, the focus shifted to Albanian language and history: Rexhep Ismajli (Prishtina) discussed the dynamics of Standard Albanian structures, Ina Arapi (Tirana) analyzed the theological and philosophical work Cuneus Prophetarum (1685) by Pjetër Bogdani, and Lindita Sejdiu-Rugova examined the status of Albanian in the Presheva Valley. Bardh Rugova discussed the position of languages in Kosovo, while Hamit, Gëzim, and Nerita Xhaferi addressed the areal boundaries of Balkan phraseology.
In the evening, the Balkan Linguistic Commission held its session, followed by a special Easter meeting, as the conference coincided with Orthodox Easter. The gathering included a presentation by an Orthodox priest and a performance of traditional Easter hymns by the local church choir, providing a memorable cultural highlight.
Helmut Schaller, Ina Arapi, and Andrej Sobolev in Toruń
Foto: Sorin PaligaThe second day began with Doris Kyriazis (Thessaloniki) on “Why Albanians don’t have their own letters?”, examining Greek attitudes toward neighboring languages in the 19th century. Thede Kahl (Jena/Vienna) asked “Is there a Balkan Plural?”, addressing morphosyntactic parallels in Balkan languages. Marija Morozova (Moscow) discussed fields of convergence in a multilingual village community in Zhovtneve/Karakurt (Ukraine), while Tomasz Klimkowski (Toruń) presented research on vowel reduction in Balkan languages. Anna Cychnerska reported on phonetic issues in the Balkans, and Marian Markovikj (Skopje) analyzed dynamic spatial relations in Macedonian in a Balkan context. Xhelal Ylli (Tirana) concluded the morning session with a study of South Slavic lexical borrowings in Albanian. After the lunch break, the focus was on historical and morphosyntactic topics: Maksim Makartsev (Moscow) presented official texts in Slavic dialects of the Korça region (Albania); Alexandr Novik (St. Petersburg) discussed his areal studies of mythology in the multilingual Azov Sea region. Krasimira Koleva (Sofia) analyzed morphosyntactic patterns of numeral formation in the western periphery of the Bulgarian-Macedonian area. Tomasz Cychnerski (Poznań) examined the convergence of Romanian and Albanian inflection, while Artur Karasiński (Toruń) discussed the loss of the infinitive in Serbian, and Irena Sawicka (Toruń) presented on syllabic patterns in Southeastern Europe. The conference concluded with a final discussion and official closure.
Conclusions: The Toruń Conference 2013 was highly successful both scientifically and organizationally. The wide range of topics—spanning historical linguistics, language contact, phonetics, morphosyntax, and sociolinguistic aspects—fostered intensive discussion and exchange. The cultural program, including a walking tour of medieval Toruń and the Orthodox Easter meeting with choir performance, created a friendly and inspiring atmosphere for participants. The publication of the conference papers in Slavia Meridionalis 15 (2015) attests to the scholarly significance of the meeting and its contribution to the study of linguistic and cultural dynamics in Southeastern Europe.
Thede Kahl
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