MEDAL Conference: New Challenges, Novel Approaches
Methodological Excellence in Data-Driven Approaches to Linguistics: New challenges, novel approaches (MEDAL) conference will take place on 9-10 October 2025 at the University of Tartu, Estonia. This conference marks the culmination of the three-year international consortium project – MEDAL. We focus on methodological and linguistic diversity, innovation in empirical linguistics, and enhancing early-career language researchers' skills and international connectedness.
Motivation for both the MEDAL project and this conference stems from the advances made in linguistics through becoming a more empirically based discipline. This has been made possible by developing increasingly sophisticated methods, improved accessibility of resources and shared findings. Research using corpus linguistics, experimental linguistics, and computational modelling has furthered our understanding of language use, acquisition and processing.
The MEDAL consortium is funded by the European Union & UKRI (101079429), led by the University of Tartu (Estonia) in collaboration with Radboud University and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics (the Netherlands) and the University of Birmingham (the UK). The final conference will showcase the diversity of research that has benefitted from the training and mentoring opportunities in MEDAL and bring together researchers from beyond the consortium interested in advancing discussion about methods and results in data-driven linguistics.
Invited speakers
- Balthasar Bickel (University of Zürich): Integrating phylogenetic, typological, and neurobiological perspectives on language
- Jennifer Culbertson (University of Edinburgh): Advances in experimental techniques for testing links between human language and cognition
- Piia Taremaa (University of Tartu): From lexicon to eye-tracking: methodological pathways to understanding the encoding of speed in language
Venue
- The University of Tartu, Estonia
Abstracts
- Now published under Programme
Timeline
- Doors open: 9:00 at Jakobi 2-124
- Plenary sessions start: 9:30 at Jakobi 2-226
- Reception: 9 October at 19:00 in White Hall (Lossi 25)
- Conference closing: 10 October at 17:30 in Jakobi 2-226
Scientific Committee
- Asli Özyürek, Radboud University
- Caroline Rowland, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Dagmar Divjak, University of Birmingham
- Eva-Liina Asu-Garcia, University of Tartu
- Hatice Zora, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Izabela Jordanoska, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Joshua Wilbur, University of Tartu
- Judith Holler, Radboud University
- Justyna Mackiewicz, University of Birmingham
- Kaidi Lõo, University of Tartu
- Liina Lindström, University of Tartu
- Maarja-Liisa Pilvik, University of Tartu
- Petar Milin, University of Birmingham
- Piia Taremaa, University of Tartu
- Pärtel Lippus, University of Tartu
- Sevilay Sengül, Radboud University
- Virve-Anneli Vihman, University of Tartu
Organised by the Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics at the University of Tartu in cooperation with the MEDAL Consortium
The event is organised by the Methodological Excellence in Data-Driven Approaches to Linguistics (MEDAL) consortium and is financed by the EU Horizon Europe programme (101079429) and UK Research and Innovation (101079429).
Programme
Click here to see the program.
Click here to see the abstract booklet.
Plenaries
Integrating phylogenetic, typological, and neurobiological perspectives on language
Balthasar Bickel from the University of Zürich
A core property of the human language faculty is its intrinsic dynamic. Unlike the communication systems of other great apes, language is subject to relentless change, yielding massive typological diversity in its structure. Phylogenetic methods have revolutionized the way this dynamic can be understood, efficiently separating systematic biases from random fluctuations in linguistic evolution. Yet results are limited because we have only access to linguistic evolution since the Neolithic, a period characterized by unusually high densities and contact between human populations. This makes it unclear whether biases reflect only recent history or properties of language at the level of the entire species over its 300-500 ky history. These issues can be resolved to some extent by convergent evidence from experimentally testable mechanisms that drive biases in observed evolution, such as a preference for a certain structure (e.g. agent-first sentences) over another (e.g. agent-last sentences). Biases scale up to the species level if they are grounded in (neuro)biological mechanisms that fully persist under maximally diverse conditions, in particular if they persist under adverse conditions, where for example current usage frequencies in a language are at odds with the proposed mechanism. In my talk I will review recent work along these lines, highlighting the methodological developments that are needed for fully integrating the phylogenetic-typological perspective on language with the neuroscience of language comprehension and production.
From lexicon to eye-tracking: methodological pathways to understanding the encoding of speed in language
Piia Taremaa from University of Tartu
This lecture presents a multifaceted exploration of the linguistic encoding of speed within the motion domain, using case studies from Estonian. The investigation is guided by two primary questions: how is speed expressed in motion descriptions, and do these linguistic realisations of speed reflect grounded cognition? To address these questions, the presentation introduces a selection of methodological approaches, each contributing a unique perspective on the expression of speed in language. For example, lexical analysis – combining dictionary searches with corpus-based techniques – reveals imbalances in the frequency and variety of expressions for fast versus slow motion. Behavioural profiling within corpus data uncovers patterns in clause structure and biases toward spatial or manner encoding. Complementing these analyses, rating experiments are used to assess speakers’ intuitions about word meanings along the speed dimension. In a more dynamic setting, elicited language production using visual stimuli reflects the influence of speed on both the content and delivery of motion descriptions. Additionally, reaction time measurements offer insights into the cognitive processing of fast versus slow motion terms, while eye-tracking data sheds light on how attention is distributed during language comprehension involving speed cues. Overall, the presentation emphasises the complementary nature of these methodologies and argues for the benefits of multi-methodological research designs. It advocates for converging evidence as a cornerstone of robust linguistic analysis.
Advances in experimental techniques for testing links between human language and cognition
Jennifer Culbertson from the University of Edinburgh
Human languages exhibit striking variation. At the same time, certain linguistic patterns crop up again and again, while others seem to be extremely rare. What these tantalising observations tell us about human language is one of the most contentious questions in linguistics. Do similarities between languages reflect a special capacity for language that has evolved only in humans? Do they reflect more general features of the human mind, potentially shared with our ancestors? Are they just down to accidents of history? Traditionally, linguists have argued for one or another of these answers based on limited sources of evidence. For example, it is common to base claims on small samples of languages, case studies of how a handful of languages change over time, or examples of how individual languages are learned. In this talk, I highlight a growing body of research using a different approach: artificial language experiments. I show how this approach can be used to bring crucial empirical evidence to bear on how language is shaped (or not!) by the human linguistic and cognitive system.
Registration
We are delighted to announce that registration is now open for the international conference “Methodological Excellence in Data-Driven Approaches to Linguistics: New Challenges, Novel Approaches” (MEDAL), taking place on 9–10 October 2025 at the University of Tartu, Estonia.
Registration is now closed! You should receive registration confirmation after registration.
Let us know through the registration form if you need a letter of invitation for applying for a visa or for any other reason.
Please see the section “Visiting Tartu” on the conference webpage for information on how to get to Tartu, where to stay, and what to see while you’re in Estonia. We look forward to welcoming you to Tartu!
Visiting Tartu
Travel
You can fly directly to Tartu (TAY) with Finnair via Helsinki (HEL), then take the airport shuttle or a taxi between the airport and the city center. Otherwise, the easiest way to get to Tartu from abroad is via Tallinn (TLL). To reach Tartu from the Tallinn airport, you can take a bus (Lux Express; buy beforehand) directly from the airport or a train from Ülemiste station, which is a 10-minute walk from the airport (the train company is Elron; tickets can be bought few weeks in advance or on the train). Both are excellent options. Riga is also an option, but there is only minimal bus and train connections to/from Tartu (Lux Express; buy beforehand, or try the Baltic train connection). Arriving late at Tallinn airport or leaving early from Tallinn airport typically requires spending a night in Tallinn, so make sure to check the bus/train schedules and find a place to stay in Tallinn, if necessary (the Mercure hotel is a five-minute walk from the airport – rooms are ~90 EUR).
Tartu is small enough that you can walk everywhere within 30 minutes. For other options, see:
The city bus network (tickets can be bought from the bus driver for 2 EUR or you can pay by bank card automatically with tap payment (1.5 EUR/h)
"Smart bike" rental system (requires the "Ühiskaart" transport card)
Bolt taxi app (get the app)
Taxi company elektritakso 1918
Accommodation recommendations
Dorpat Hotel (3 stars) special offer for conference visitors
Offers discounted rates using the keyword “MEDAL”:
- Standard room for one person: 67.00 EUR/night
- Standard room for two people: 78.00 EUR/night
Prices include: VAT, buffet breakfast, and 24-hour access to the fitness room.
Additional Information:
- Guests are responsible for making and paying for their own bookings
- Please use the keyword “MEDAL” when making the reservation to get the conference rate
- Reservations can be made via email: info@dorpat.ee
A total of 100 rooms have been pre-booked at Dorpat Hotel, and the booking deadline is September 1, 2025.
Lydia Hotel (4 stars) special offer for conference visitors
Offers discounted rates using the keyword “MEDAL”:
- Classic room for one person: 102.00 EUR/night
- Classic room for two people: 118.00 EUR/night
Prices include: VAT, buffet breakfast at the Hõlm restaurant, and access to the spa.
Additional Information:
- Guests are responsible for making and paying for their own bookings
- Please use the keyword “MEDAL” when making the reservation to get the conference rate
- Reservations can be made via email: sales@lydia.ee
A total of 10 rooms have been pre-booked at Lydia Hotel, and the booking deadline is September 1, 2025.
Tartu student hostel (shared kitchen, ~40 EUR / night; direct booking at info@campus.ee to get this price)
Other more affordable options include Tamme or EMÜ hostels.
Other more exclusive options include VSpa (with spa), and SOHO hotels.
You can check out the city tourism website for other ideas.
Food
Tartu has a lot of good quality, relatively affordable restaurants and bars. To get an impression, check out the city tourism website. Weekday lunch specials ("päevapraad") are listed here.