The Center for Research on the Applications of Language (CRAL), based at the University of La Rioja, Spain, solicits papers for the International Conference Figurative Language Learning and Figurative Language Use: Theory and Applications, to be held on October 29-31, 2009, at the Philology Building of the University of La Rioja.

The conference is open to presentations on a range of topics related to Cognitive Linguistics and compatible approaches to language, both from a theoretical and an applied perspective. We invite proposals on subjects including but not limited to: metaphor theory; metonymy theory; cognitive models; cognitive stylistics; figurative language use in L1 and in additional languages including foreign languages and multilingual acquisition; figurative language acquisition and development; vocabulary and figurative language in foreign languages; applications of figurative language (to lexicography, translation, language teaching and methodology, etc.); other related topics on language learning and language use.

Questions and correspondence may be addressed to cral@cilap.es

General Session

Abstracts for 20-minute presentations (plus ten-minute discussion) should be no more than 500 words (plus references, tables, and figures), and should also include 5 keywords. Abstracts should be sent by 1-September-2009 through the CRAL webpage at http://cral09.cilap.es/en/dashboard

Round Table

Round Tables last a maximum of 90 minutes. The proposal should include not more than 5 presentations of ten minutes each; round tables should have a discussant that will act as debate moderator; debate time should take at least 40 minutes. Round Table proposals should have a general description of the aims of the session, and one abstract for each of the presentations. All abstracts should comply with the same specifications as the abstracts for the General Session.

Laudatio

We intend to hold this Conference in honor of Professor Paul Meara (University of Swansea) on occasion of his retirement. The closing ceremony will feature a plenary lecture by Professor Meara and a laudatio.

Publication

A selection of contributions will be edited by the organizers and submitted to a major international press.

Organizing committee

• Chair: Francisco J. Ruiz de Mendoza Ibáñez <francisco.ruizdemendoza@unirioja.es>
  
• Co-chair: Rosa María Jiménez Catalán <rosa.jimenez@unirioja.es>
• Secretary: María del Pilar Agustín Llach
• Treasurer: Almudena Fernández Fontecha
• Members:
  • Antonio Barcelona Sánchez (University of Córdoba)
  • Rosario Caballero (University of Castilla-La Mancha)
  • Nuria del Campo Martínez (University of La Rioja)
  • Alba Luzondo Oyón (University of La Rioja)
  • Juan Manuel Molina Valero (University of La Rioja)
  • Julieta Ojeda Alba (University of La Rioja)
  • Lorena Pérez Hernández (University of La Rioja)
  • Pedro Santana Martínez (University of La Rioja)

Advisory Committee

• Enrique Bernárdez (Department of English, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain)
• Mario Brdar (Faculty of Philosophy, University of Osijek, Croatia)
• Teresa Cadierno (Institute of Language and Communication, University of Southern Denmark)
• Jasone Cenoz (Department of Research Methods in Education, University of the Basque Country, San Sebastian, Spain)
• Francisco Gonzálvez (Department of English and German, University of Almería, Spain)
• Iraide Ibarretxe Antuñano (Department of General Linguistics, University of Zaragoza)
• Sabine de Knop (University Faculties Saint-Louis, Brussels, Belgium)
• Fionna MacArthur (Extremadura University)
• Gerard Steen (Department of English,Free University, Amsterdam)

Plenary Speakers

• Paul Meara (Swansea, UK): "Working with words"
• Elena Semino (Department of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster University, United Kingdom): "Figurative language in expert publications and educational materials"
• Frank Boers (Erasmus University College Brussels, Belgium): "Ways of teaching L2 figurative phrases: an assessment"
• Zoltan Kövecses (Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary): "Recent findings in metaphor theory and their application to foreign language teaching"
• David Singleton (Center for Language and Communication Studies, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland): "Figurative aspects of the taboo lexicon"
• Gerard Steen (Free University, Amsterdam): "The new contemporary theory of metaphor"

Official language

English

Fees

* UR undergraduate students registered for the Conference will receive one free-elective credit.

Sponsors

• Department of Modern Languages, University of La Rioja
• Knet Communications Ltd.
• Vice-Chancellorship for Research, University of La Rioja
• Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain