We invite proposals for the HEL (History of the English Language) and Writing Studies thread at the 12th Studies in the History of the English Language (SHEL) conference in Seattle, WA, May 19-21, 2022.

The HEL and Writing Studies thread will explore ways in which the study of language change and variation can contribute to rhetoric and writing studies, and vice versa. When proposing, keep in mind that the history of the English language extends from the origins of the language to one moment ago, so proposals that engage contemporary language use through a historical lens are welcome. 

Proposals are invited for individual papers as well as panels or workshops on a range of topics, including…

• Language use and variation in a written genre (e.g. academic writing, business writing, technical writing, scientific writing, political writing) throughout time or during a specific period

• The representation of dialects and Englishes, especially historical ones, in creative writing

• Methods and strategies for researching or teaching a history of language use in rhetoric, composition, applied, creative, or other forms of professional writing

• Models of collaboration between HEL and writing studies that advocate for and strengthen English, Writing, Linguistics, and/or other humanities departments

If interested, please submit an abstract of no more than one page to SHEL12@uw.edu by November 1, 2021. Please indicate in your email that your proposal is intended for the HEL and Writing Studies thread, and indicate any A/V needs in your email.

For more information about the conference and to read the main SHEL-12 CFP, consult https://depts.washington.edu/shel12/. For questions about the thread, contact Amanda Sladek at sladekam@unk.edu or Chris C. Palmer at cpalme20@kennesaw.edu.