**Updated 22 September 2020**
ComputEL-4
Fourth Workshop on the Use of Computational Methods in the Study of Endangered Languages
3rd Call-for-Papers — EXTENDED TIMELINE
The ComputEL-4 workshop will focus on the use of computational methods in the study, support, and revitalization of endangered languages. The primary aim of the workshop is to continue narrowing the gap between computational linguists interested in working on methods for endangered languages, field linguists working on documenting these languages, and the language communities who are striving to maintain their languages.
We take seriously the goal of reaching all relevant communities. To support this goal, ComputEL aims to alternate co-location with computational linguistics conferences and language documentation conferences.
Workshop format/venue and the COVID-19 pandemic
ComputEL-4 will take place on March 2-3, 2021, immediately preceding the 7th International Conference on Language Documentation and Conservation (ICLDC7) hosted by the University of Hawaii. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in line with the current plans for ICLDC7, ComputEL-4 will be held as a fully virtual workshop.
Call for Papers
Papers are invited which explore the interface and intersection of computational linguistics, documentary linguistics, and community-based language revitalization and conservation efforts. The committee encourages submissions which:
(i) examine the use of specific methods in the analysis of data from low-resource languages, with a focus on endangered languages, or propose new methods for analysis of such data,
(ii) propose new models for the collection, management, and deployment of data in endangered language settings, or
(iii) consider what concrete steps are required to allow for a more fruitful interaction between computer scientists, documentary linguists, and language communities.
The intention of the workshop is not merely to allow for the presentation of research, but also to continue building a network of computational linguists, documentary linguists, and community language activists who are able to effectively join together and serve their common interests.
Presentations
We will have both oral presentation sessions and a poster session, but we will be working on how these are realized in practice in our now virtual workshop. The decision on whether a presentation will be oral or poster will be made by the Organizing Committee on the advice of the Program Committee, taking into account the subject matter and how the content might be best conveyed. Oral and poster presentations will not be distinguished in the Proceedings.
Submissions
In line with our goal of reaching different academic communities, we offer two different modes of submission: extended abstract and full paper. Either can be submitted to our two tracks: (a) language community perspective and (b) academic perspective. The mode of submission does not influence likelihood of acceptance.
Submissions must be uploaded via Easychair (https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=computel4) no later than October 14, 2020, 11:59PM (UTC-11, time zone of American Samoa). Please indicate clearly (in the Abstract) which of the two modes (Extended abstract or Full paper) you are submitting to.
All submissions must be anonymous and will be peer-reviewed by the scientific committee. Notification of acceptance will be sent out by mid-November 2020.
Extended abstract:
Please submit anonymous abstracts of up to 1500 words.
Full paper:
Please submit anonymously either a) long papers (max. 8 pages plus references) or b) short papers (max. 4 pages plus references) according to the style and formatting guidelines provided our ComputeEL Style Files (with template files for both LaTeX and Microsoft Word: see: https://computel-workshop.org/computel4-submissions/). Authors will be allowed one extra page for the final version (altogether 5 and 9 pages) excluding references.
Proceedings
The authors of selected accepted full papers (long or short) will be invited by the Organizing Committee to submit their papers for online publication via the open-access ACL Anthology. All other accepted full papers (long and short) and extended abstracts will be published electronically in University of Colorado Boulder Scholar (https://scholar.colorado.edu/scil-cmel/). Final versions of long and short papers will be allotted one additional page (altogether 5 and 9 pages) excluding references. Extended abstracts will be allotted up to 5 pages (according to the short paper format) excluding references. Any revisions should concern responses to reviewer comments or the addition of relevant details and clarifications, but not entirely new, unreviewed content. Proceedings papers should be revised and improved versions of the version that was submitted for, and which underwent, review. Camera-ready versions of the articles for publication will be due on 01-February-2021 by 23:59:59 (UTC-11, time zone of American Samoa)..
Important Dates (REVISED):
| Wed | 14-October-2020 | Deadline for submission of papers or short abstracts |
| Week starting 23-November-2020 | Notification of acceptance | |
| Mon | 01-February-2021 | Camera-ready versions due |
| Tue-Wed | 2-3-March-2021 | Workshop |
Endorsements:
ComputEL-4 is endorsed by the ACL Special Interest Group for Endangered Languages (SIGEL: https://acl-sigel.github.io/), and the ELRA/ISCA Special Interest Group for Under-resources Languages (SIGUL: http://www.elra.info/en/sig/sigul/).
Organizing Committee
Antti Arppe (University of Alberta)
Jeff Good (University at Buffalo)
Atticus Harrigan (University of Alberta): community track
Mans Hulden (University Colorado Boulder)
Jordan Lachler (University Alberta)
Sarah Moeller (University of Colorado Boulder): general/computational track
Alexis Palmer (University of North Texas)
Lane Schwartz (University of Illinois)
Miikka Silfverberg (University of British Columbia)
Contact – website and email
For further information, please consult our website: https://computel-workshop.org/computel4/
or email us at:
Previous workshops
The first ComputEL workshop was co-located with ACL in June 2014 in Baltimore; ComputEL-2 was co-located with the 5th International Conference of Language Documentation and Conservation (ICLDC5) in Honolulu, Hawai’i, in March 2017; ComputEL-3 was co-located with the 6th International Conference of Language Documentation and Conservation (ICLDC6) in Honolulu, Hawai’i, in March 2019. The proceedings of the previous ComputEL workshops have been published online by ACL and University of Colorado Boulder Scholar. For further information, see: https://computel-workshop.org/