Department of Linguistics Holds William Labov Memorial Seminar on “Justice as a Linguistic Matter”
On 29 June 2025, the Department of Linguistics organised the William Labov Memorial Seminar titled “Justice as a Linguistic Matter.” The event featured a recorded presentation by the late Professor William Labov (1927–2024), University of Pennsylvania, shared with the department with his prior permission. A reflective discussion followed, led by Professor Dr. Salma Nasreen of the Department of Linguistics, University of Dhaka.Professor Labov, the founder of variationist sociolinguistics, transformed linguistic study by demonstrating that language variation is systematic and socially significant. His groundbreaking research on African American English and his advocacy for linguistic justice and literacy among marginalised communities have left an enduring legacy.
The department had earlier invited Professor Labov to deliver the keynote at DULC 2025; he kindly sent two recorded talks before his passing. Presenting one posthumously was both an honour and a moving tribute.