PhilSoc Meetings

PhilSoc usually holds seven meetings each academic year, in October, November, January, February, March, May and June (AGM). At most meetings, a full paper is read; other meetings take the format of a thematic symposium. Significant announcements made at meetings are reported on the homepage of the Society's website.



Unless otherwise indicated, tea is served at 3.45pm and the meeting begins at 4.15pm.

The Society has a YouTube channel where video recordings of some of its past meetings may be found.




PhilSoc welcomes proposals for papers to be read at meetings. Proposals should be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary (contact details on the Contact page). Papers may be on any topic falling within the scope of PhilSoc's interests, but speakers are asked to bear in mind that the audience will represent a wide range of linguistic interests, and papers should therefore be accessible to non-specialists.

Oct
16
2026

October 2026

TBC
Guyanne Wilson (University College London)

The lecture will be given at University College London.

Please note that all ordinary meetings commence at 4:15pm. Members and guests are welcome to come for tea at 3:45 pm.

This meeting is preceded by the Philological Society Early Career Event, also held at University College London.

Oct
16
2026

Early Career Event

The Philological Society Early Career Event
University College London

The Philological Society Early Career event will take place on Friday 16 October 2026 at University College London (UCL). Early Career researchers will present their work in a day of posters and talks, across a wide range of languages and historical and contemporary varieties. The day will end with the public Philological Society meeting, at which the speaker will be Dr Guyanne Wilson (UCL).

The schedule for the day is as follows:

12.30–1.30pm Lunch (provided) and poster session
1.30–3.30pm 15-minute presentations
3.45–4.15pm Refreshments
4.15pm Invited speaker: Dr Guyanne Wilson (UCL)
6.30pm   Dinner at a local restaurant

 

Download the full programme here.

The event is free, with lunch and refreshments provided. We are also able to offer financial support for travel within the UK. Please contact the Treasurer with details of your costs once you have registered.

Register for the event here (deadline 12 October 2026). 

Nov
13
2026

November 2026

TBC
Paul Kerswill (University of York)

The lecture will be given at the University of Kent.

Please note that all ordinary meetings commence at 4:15pm. Members and guests are welcome to come for tea at 3:45 pm.

Jan
15
2027

January 2027

TBC
Gillian Ramchand (University of Oxford)

The lecture will be given at University College London.

Please note that all ordinary meetings commence at 4:15pm. Members and guests are welcome to come for tea at 3:45 pm.

Feb
12
2027

February 2027

What mathematical modeling can (and cannot) tell us about language change
Bill Croft (University of New Mexico)

This lecture will be given online via Zoom.

Mar
13
2027

March 2027

How languages show what speakers know
Jenneke van der Wal (Leiden University)

This lecture will be given at Churchill College, Cambridge.

Please note that all ordinary meetings commence at 4:15pm. Members and guests are welcome to come for tea at 3:45 pm.

May
14
2027

May 2027

TBC
Nick Evans (Australian National University)

The lecture will be given at University College London.

Please note that all ordinary meetings commence at 4:15pm. Members and guests are welcome to come for tea at 3:45 pm.

Jun
19
2027

June 2027

AGM and Lecture: On grammatical tone in Northwest Bantu verb inflection: Typology and diachrony
Nadine Grimm (University of Rochester)

The lecture will be given at the University of Oxford.

Please note that all ordinary meetings commence at 4:15pm. Members and guests are welcome to come for tea at 3:45 pm.