Accommodation and Registration

Fees for the ETHL Summer School are £60 without accommodation and £350 with accommodation.

» The accommodation option includes six nights (21–27 June) in University of Edinburgh student accommodation at Pollock Halls. All rooms are single occupancy with a shared bathroom and access to a shared kitchen. Bed linen and towels are provided. Additionally, a catered breakfast is included!

Registration will close on 15 May. We encourage prospective participants to register early, as places are limited.

Registration closes on 15 May 2026

Classes

Each course at ETHL will consist of blocks of 2hr classes – we have chosen this longer format so as not to break the flow of conversation and allow in depth discussion of big issues. Don’t worry – teachers will be advised to build in short breaks to their classes!

ETHL will host courses on Syntax, Phonology, and on their interface, all from the perspective of diachrony. There will also be at least one course dedicated to the philosophy of theoretical historical linguistics that addresses the nature and goals of research in generative historical linguistics.

Some classes will focus on understanding and using theories developed specifically historical work, such as the Life Cycle of Phonological Processes. Whereas others will evaluate synchronic theory on its applicability to historical work asking questions like: how (well) can Distributed Morphology model change?

ETHL will not focus on one specific language or language family and you do not need to have detailed knowledge of any particular language/family to attend. Instructors will use a wide range of examples as necessary to illustrate their theoretical point; they may also choose to offer a deep dive into a particular phenomenon in a particular language - but in this case you will not be expected to have a knowledge of that language.

Practical information

Food

Breakfast is provided as part of our accommodation package. Breakfast is served daily from 07:30 to 10:00 in the John McIntyre Conference Centre restaurant. This will be buffet style and include a number of cooked and continental options.

At breakfast there will be vegetarian, vegan, gluten, and dairy free options. However, please note the University's statement regarding severe allergies: “While we try to limit potential contamination from allergens and to accommodate guests within our operational capacity, we cannot guarantee the elimination of allergens from our kitchens or service counters. Guests with severe nut or other allergies may need to provide their own food options.”

Limited cooking facilities are available in your accommodation. You will have access to “pantries” which include fridges, microwaves, kettles, and toasters. I don’t think cutlery, crockery, or pots and pans will be provided (I can’t get a straight answer out of the accommodation provider on this). If you plan to prepare all of your meals in your accommodation I’d recommend budgeting around £30 - 40 for groceries for the week.

For dinner, Edinburgh restaurants are not exactly cheap, but it is possible to get a main meal for ~£12 in some places (particularly those geared towards students) although the average price is more like £15.

For lunch, microwaves are available in DSB (but I make no promises of fridges) if you’d like to prepare your own lunches. Additionally, DSB is close to a number of shops and restaurants with lunch options less than £10 readily available. The most economical option is a supermarket ‘meal deal’ which includes a snack, sandwich, and drink for £3.5.

Activities

We plan to organise a couple of social events during the week - details tbc.

Mailing List

Our mailing list is ethl@mlist.is.ed.ac.uk

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