The 11th International Conference on Pluricentric Languages and their Non-Dominant Varieties was held in Lisbon from 22 to 24 May 2025, under the title Pluricentric Languages and Power: At the Crossroads of Legacies. This year’s event was organised by the research centres of Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon and the University of Coimbra.

Serving as the leading international forum for research on pluricentric languages and their non-dominant varieties for over a decade, the conference series was initiated by Rudolf Muhr in 2010. As the founder of the International Working Group on Non-Dominant Varieties of Pluricentric Languages (WGNDV), Muhr has played a pivotal role in shaping global linguistic research in this field. Since its inception, the group has regularly hosted conferences in various locations, including Nitra in 2018, where Professor Ildikó Vančo served as the lead organiser.

 

The Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra was represented at this year’s conference by Prof. Mgr. Ildikó Vančo, PhD., Dr. habil. István Kozmács, PhD., and second-year PhD student Mgr. Anna Oros Bugár, all affiliated with the Institute of Hungarian Linguistics and Literary Science of the Faculty of Central European Studies. Their presentations showcased their most recent research on linguistic attitudes related to the Hungarian language varieties spoken in Slovakia.

In their presentation titled Linguistic Attitudes of Primary School Children Toward Language Variants, István Kozmács and Ildikó Vančo introduced the results of a pioneering study that investigated the early development of linguistic prestige and stigmatization among lower primary school pupils. The research utilised a puppet story, followed by structured interviews, to explore children’s attitudes toward different language varieties.

 

Anna Oros Bugár and Ildikó Vančo presented their joint research in a presentation entitled Attitudes Toward Hungarian Variety in Slovakia Among Minority and Majority Students, which focused on a comprehensive comparative study involving minority Hungarian, majority Slovak, and Hungarian (from Hungary) secondary school students. Their presentation highlighted findings related to the intergroup social perception of the Hungarian variety used in Slovakia.

The conference offered a platform for vibrant discussions and debates, providing new perspectives on the role and prestige of non-dominant language varieties. These contributions further enriched the theoretical understanding of pluricentricity and its application across social, educational, and cultural contexts.

 

Text and photo: Mgr. Anna Oros Bugár, FSS – PhD. student

 

Published: June 11, 2025