Most grammatical models assume that linguistic structure represents a fairly monolithic system of mental and linguistic activity. Some lines of recent research, however, suggest that human cognitive activity in general and linguistic cognition in particular cannot reasonably be reduced to a single, monolithic system of mental processing but have, in fact, a dualistic organization. Such dualism has been proposed by a number of authors using a variety of different approaches and following different directions of research. It surfaces in particular in psychological work on brain activity (Kahneman 2012), in psycholinguistic research on text comprehension (Kintsch 1988; Gernsbacher 1990; Graesser et al. 1994; Greene et al. 1992; McKoon and Ratcliff 1990, 1992, 1998; Prat et al. 2007), in neurolinguistic research on linguistic processing (Bahlmann, Gunter & Friederici 2006; Van Lancker Sidtis 2009), in linguistic work on performance (Clark 1996; Clark & Fox Tree 2002), on syntax (Kac 1972), on speech act formulas (Pawley 2009), on discourse organization (Kaltenböck et al. 2011; Heine et al. 2013), on the analysis of conversations (Haselow 2013, 2016), and on bilingualism (Maschler 1994; Heine 2016). The dualism is reflected in distinctions such as novel speech and formulaic speech, linear-hierarchicalandlinear (flat) structure, sentence grammar and thetical grammar, microgrammar and macrogrammar, clausal constituents and extra-clausal constituents, or propositional representation and discourse representation.

However, the hypothesized dualism is not beyond criticism: researchers from the “monolithic camp” argue that linguistic activity cannot be broken down into separate domains, given that it ultimately serves a single goal, that of communication, and that—overall—all neural activities related to language processing and communication are equally networked.

This workshop is devoted to a discussion of the Dualism Hypothesis, based on findings from a wide range of research fields and methodological approaches. As the question mark in the title of the workshop indicates, the debate is intended to be unbiased and thus open to evidence for and against the hypothesis.

The aim of the workshop is to bring together researchers from different research fields to discuss evidence for and against dualistic approaches to linguistic structure, language processing and cognition. We seek to overcome scientific departmentalism and to follow a truly interdisciplinary approach to language structure and grammar modeling, including research findings from linguistics (e.g. grammatical analysis and modeling, pragmatics, conversation analysis), neurolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and (cognitive) psychology. While trying to keep a broad perspective, we particularly invite contributions within a cognitive–functional framework, qualitative and quantitative analyses of natural language data, and experimental research on the (neuro-)cognition of language and language processing. The focus is on English, but contributions focusing on other languages are also welcome.

More specific topics to be addressed may include the following:

• Grammatical approaches dealing with the (alleged) dualisms sentence structure – discourse structure, clausal constituents – extra-clausal constituents
    
• Correlations between linguistic structure and neural processing (e.g. brain lateralization), e.g. the processing of “flat” vs. “hierarchical/embedded” structures
    
• Approaches accounting for the dualism of compositional speech vs. formulaic speech orpropositional speech vs. non-propositional speech
    
• Experimental research on monolithic or dualistic linguistic processing (e.g. sentence processing, discourse processing)
    
• Different suggestions for modelling a dualistic view of language structure in linguistics

20 minute papers + 10 minutes for discussion

Abstracts should not exceed 500 words (exclusive of references) and should clearly state research question(s), approach, method, data and (expected) results.
  
Please submit your abstract as a .doc or .docx file to brain.grammar2018(at)uni-rostock.de
  
Submission is possible from 20 February 2017 to 30July 2017.
  
Notification of acceptance will be sent out by the middle of September 2017.

Rostock is the largest city in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The old town of Rostock is crossed by the river Warnow, which flows into the Baltic Sea; the seaside part of Rostock, Warnemünde, is about 20 minutes from the center of Rostock and invites you to take a walk on the beach and to enjoy the maritime atmosphere.

By plane
Rostock has an airport (Airport Rostock-Laage, RLG), which lies near Rostock. However, it is only served by flights to and from Munich (MUC), Stuttgart (STG), and Antalya plus some seasonal destinations.
Most people fly to Hamburg (HAM) or Berlin Tegel (TXL)/Berlin Schönefeld (SXF) and then travel to Rostock by train.

By train
From Hamburg Central Station you can take the Regional Express (RE) train to Rostock (ca. 2:27h–2:39h), or the faster InterCity (IC) (ca. 1:50h), which is a bit more expensive. If you’re on budget, look for saving fares (“Sparangebote”) that are offered until a few days before the travel day, but note that this is a specific-train booking, which means that you are committed to a specific train.

If you’re a group of two or more it is advisable buy a “Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Ticket” (MV Ticket). With this group ticket you can travel with up to five adults from Hamburg to Rostock or back (only on a single day!) in any RE train from 9:00 AM to 03:00 AM of the following day and and share the costs. The ticket can be purchased either at the ticket office or from ticket machines available at railway stations. However, be aware that the "MV-Ticket" is NOT valid for the fast train (IC). If you wish to use the IC, you need to buy a ticket that explicitly states "IC".

From Berlin Central Station you can take the direct route using the RE (ca. 2:42h). Once a day there is also a direct route with the faster IC (ca. 2:02h).

By car
From Hamburg: take the motorway A1 to Lübeck and from Lübeck the A20 to Rostock, exit “Rostock Südstadt”. The trip takes between 1:40 and 2 hours.

From Berlin: take the A24 in the direction of Hamburg until the A19 crosses it, then follow the A19 to Rostock and take the exit „Rostock Südstadt“. The trip takes roughly 2:30 hours.

By bus
There are bus connections from Hamburg and Berlin to Rostock. The bus station in Rostock is next to Rostock Central Station.

By boat
There are ferries running regularly from Gedser (Denmark), Trelleborg (Sweden) and Helsinki (Finland) to Rostock Warnemünde. From the ferry terminal you can either take the bus to the city center or the local train (S-Bahn). A taxi ride to the center of Rostock will cost you around 25 Euros.

If you’re looking for less formal and less costly eating opportunities, we recommend the following areas:

• Kröpeliner Straße (fast food restaurants, bakeries and cafés)
• Rostocker Hof (Kröpeliner Straße/Schwaansche Straße) (Italian, German and Asian food)
• Kröperliner-Tor-Vorstadt (KTV) (fast food restaurants, tapas bars, cafés, bakeries etc.)

Restaurants

All restaurants are in walking distance to the conference venue. The Euro signs indicate the price category, which ranges from “€”=rather cheap to “€€€”=rather expensive.

Rathaus Arkaden (€€)
Neuer Markt 1
Open Mon 17–0h, Tue–Thu 12–0h

Steakhouse Leon’s (€€)
Kröpeliner Str. 19
Open 7–0h

Heumond (€€)
Hermannstraße 36
Open 12–0h
ideal for vegetarians

Borwin Hafenrestaurant (€€)
Am Strande 2 (situated on the waterfront of the Warnow river)
Open 12–0h for lovers of fish

Al Porto (€€–€€€)
Am Strande 3 (situated on the waterfront of the Warnow river)
Open 11–23h
Pasta, Pizza, Steaks, Fish, Salad

Osteria (€€€)
Lange Straße 40 (close to the Radisson Blu hotel)
Open 11–0h
Pasta, Pizza, Salad

Rosmarin'o Steakhouse Restaurant (€€)
Am Strande 3a (situated on the waterfront of the Warnow river)
Open 11–23h

Burwitz Legendär (€€)
Neuer Markt 16
Open 9–0h

Alex (€€)
Neuer Markt 17–18
Open 8–1h

Braugasthaus Zum alten Fritz (€€)
Warnowufer 65
Open 11–1h

Restaurant Hopfenkeller (€€)
Kroepeliner Str. 18
Open 11–22h

Zur Kogge (€€)
Wokrenterstrasse 27
Open 11:30–0h
For lovers of fish

Block House Rostock (€€)
Breite Straße 16
Open 11:30–0h

Basically meat Momo (€)
Augustenstraße 93/94
Open 12–23h
Very tasty Indian food close to the Philosophical Faculty

Arjun (€)
Leonhardstraße 22 (Kröpeliner-Tor-Vorstadt)
Open 9:30–0h
Cosy Indian restaurant in the KTV