Priming, Analogy, and Linguistic Creativity

Programme

You can download the workshop programme here: 2026_A01_A04_C01_workshop-3.pdf

The workshop takes place in the X-building. Room: X-B2-103

There will be a group photo taken on Thursday, 11.40am.

Venue

The workshop takes place at Bielefeld University. All activities take place in the main building of the University (number 10 on the campus map).

For navigation, use this address:
Bielefeld University
Universitätsstraße 25
D-33615 Bielefeld

Accommodation

We will provide recommendations for accommodation shortly.

Call for Paper

Workshop: On the relation of Priming, Analogy and Linguistic Creativity (PALC)
May 27–29, 2026
Bielefeld, Germany

Priming and analogy are central mechanisms in human language. Priming supports the activation of linguistic structures and meanings, while analogy enables speakers to extend patterns and recognise relational similarities. Although both mechanisms are well studied, they have largely been investigated in isolation. Recent research, however, suggests that they may be deeply interconnected, even as the directionality of this relationship remains a matter of debate. The workshop aims to contribute to this debate, although from a specific perspective: their role in linguistic creativity. Linguistic creativity involves producing expressions that go beyond routine or fully conventionalised patterns. Both priming and analogy offer pathways into such creativity. Priming may create the immediate conditions for innovation by activating particular forms or meanings that speakers then recombine in unexpected ways. Analogy, in turn, provides the cognitive mechanism through which speakers project familiar patterns onto new contexts, giving rise to innovative constructions. By examining how priming and analogy jointly support creative language practices, the workshop seeks to shed light on how new linguistic forms arise, how existing patterns are transformed, and how speakers navigate the balance between conventionality and innovation.

The workshop is organised by three projects of the collaborative research centre 1646 “Linguistic Creativity in Communication” hosted at Bielefeld University. Each project approaches the theme from a different perspective:

Project A01 studies the role of analogy in the creation of novel, creative morphosyntactic patterns. The project takes as a starting point existing, grammatical structures and studies to what extent they can be generalised by processes such as priming to create novel structures
which are structurally similar.

Project A04 investigates empirical profiles of phenomena of grammatical creativity, exploring a typology that includes grammatical gaps, grammatical conflicts, grammaticalisation and grammatical extravagance. Priming and analogy may have a different impact on speakers’ creative solutions in these different classes. They might for instance support ongoing language change, but in situations of gaps or conflicts, where no conventional solution exists, they could play a more conservative role, preventing extreme non-conventionality.

Project C01 investigates how creative word formations are produced and understood, and how priming and analogy shape these processes. Analogy may support the creation of novel forms by extending familiar patterns and help listeners interpret those by linking them to known structures. Priming influences which linguistic patterns are activated during production and comprehension, thereby facilitating or hampering the emergence of creative forms.

Together, we invite submissions for a three‑day workshop dedicated to understanding the relation between priming, analogy, and linguistic creativity. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• The relationship of priming and analogy
• The role of analogy and priming in creative language use
• Cognitive and linguistic models linking priming, analogy, and creativity
• Priming across languages and in multilingual contexts
• Psycholinguistic factors underlying priming and analogy (in creative language use)
• Methodological approaches to studying these questions

The list of topics above is intended as a guideline and may be supplemented by further proposals.We invite submissions for 30 minutes presentations (+ 10 minutes discussion). The conference language is English.

Abstract submission
Format

• A4, 2.5 cm or 1 inch margins
• No more than two pages (including references)
• Standard, legible fonts (e.g., Times New Roman) with minimum 11 pt size
• Anonymous pdf

Submission

• Please send your abstracts by March 26, 2026
• To the following address: <crc1646-palc@uni-bielefeld.de>
• The email should include the title, your affiliation, the names of all contributing authors.
• Please add three keywords and a short (one-sentence) summary of your submission.
• You may submit at most two abstracts, of which only one may be single authored.

Key dates

• Submission deadline: March 26, 2026
• notification of acceptance: early April, 2026
• Conference Dates: May 27–29, 2026
• Location: Bielefeld, Germany

Contact Email:

• crc1646-palc@uni-bielefeld.de

pdf-file: PALC-2026-CfP.pdf

Workshop Description

See Workshop-description.pdf