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, successfully organised the International Symposium on Language Science (ISLS) 2026: Interdisciplinary Research and the Legacy of Yuen Ren Chao on 8 and 9 May 2026. The Symposium attracted over 140 participants from 11 countries and regions, including Australia, Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Nigeria, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This remarkable international turnout is a testament to the Symposium's global significance and the universal appeal of language science.
The event brought together an international community of scholars and researchers, featuring four distinguished keynote speakers (in alphabetical order of surname): Prof. Nai Ding (Zhejiang University), Prof. Roberto Filippi (UCL Institute of Education), Dr Tomoyasu Horikawa (NTT Communication Science Laboratories) and Prof. Judith F. Kroll (University of California, Irvine). The programme also included 14 parallel oral presentation sessions and a poster session, covering a wide range of topics in language science.
In tribute to the legacy of Prof. Yuen Ren Chao, the Symposium presented two Chao Prize Lectures by the 2026 Laureates: Prof. Brian MacWhinney (Lifetime Achievement Award) and Prof. Charles B. Chang (Early Career Contribution Award). Learn more about Chao Prize.
To further commemorate Prof. Yuen Ren Chao’s contributions and to continue the scholarly exchange initiated at the 2024 Symposium, the newly published volume Interdisciplinary Research in Language Science: Yuen Ren Chao’s Legacy was also officially launched at the Symposium.
The Symposium successfully fostered interdisciplinary dialogue and advanced research in language science, while continuing to inspire future generations of linguists and language science researchers, carrying forward the enduring legacy of Prof. Yuen Ren Chao.
