International Symposium on Language Science (ISLS) 2026: Interdisciplinary Research and the Legacy of Yuen Ren Chao

Introduction

The Faculty of Humanities at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), in collaboration with the Department of English and Communication and the Department of Language Science and Technology, is pleased to announce the International Symposium on Language Science (ISLS) 2026: Interdisciplinary Research and the Legacy of Yuen Ren Chao. The Symposium will take place on 8-9 May 2026 (Friday and Saturday) at PolyU in Hong Kong.

About the Organiser

The Faculty of Humanities of PolyU is dedicated to fostering collaboration between language, communication, history, culture and technology in both education and research. With a broad scope that encompasses various areas of language science, the Faculty has a distinguished team of scholars and researchers specialising in linguistics, language technology, Chinese-English bilingual studies and translation, speech therapy, language neuroscience, AI and computational studies, intercultural communication, and health communication. Our scholars ardently pursue language science research and contribute to language education. As the initiator and host of the Symposium, it exemplifies the Faculty’s commitment to uphold the PolyU motto, “To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind”. By actively engaging in knowledge discovery, knowledge transfer, and social advancement, the Faculty aims to make significant contributions to the progress of society.

Objectives and aims

The ISLS aims to provide a platform for interdisciplinary dialogues and the exchange of ideas among leading scholars, researchers, students, and professionals in the fields of linguistics and language science. The Symposium will foster the exploration of novel concepts, the sharing of research findings, and the establishment of professional connections. Additionally, it seeks to inspire future generations of linguists and language science researchers to continue advancing these fields. The Symposium also intends to pay tribute to the remarkable contributions of Professor Yuen Ren Chao in language science.