IcoLL2026 is the joint conference of the 4th Iconicity Seminar (IcoSem) and the 15th International Symposium on Iconicity in Language and Literature (ILL). For the first time, the two international conferences on iconicity will take place together, on 21-23 February 2026 at Nagoya University (Nagoya, Japan).

Invited speakers

Call for papers

Theme: Variations and Dynamics in Iconicity

We invite abstracts of any academic work on iconicity, the resemblance between form and meaning, in language or literature. We particularly invite contributions that explore the multifaceted nature of iconicity, encompassing its variations and dynamics across different conceptual domains, languages, cultures, and developmental stages. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Iconicity in the speech signal (sound symbolism, phonaesthemes, ideophones)
Iconicity in grammar and text
Iconicity in literature
Iconicity in sign languages
Iconicity in gestures
Iconicity in pictures and other visual media
Iconicity in music
Iconicity in narration
Iconicity in imagination (mental imagery)
Iconicity across sensory modalities (multimodality and cross-modality)
Iconicity in language evolution
Iconicity in child development
Iconicity among different forms of intelligence (animals, humans, AI, etc.)

Please send a 2-page abstract (including everything) in the following format:

A4 paper
2.5cm margin
12pt Times New Roman

Please submit your anonymous abstract via Easychair. Your abstract will then be reviewed by two anonymous reviewers.

The deadline is 31 August 2025, but we encourage each participant to submit as soon as you are ready to, as decisions will be communicated to you on a rolling basis within two weeks from your submission (and not necessarily after the deadline). This will allow you to plan your trip well in advance.

Each submission will be allocated as either an oral presentation (20min talk + 10min Q&A) or a poster presentation, based on the review and the presenter’s preference. Only one abstract submission is permitted per each first author - there is no restriction on the number of abstracts as a non-first author.

About Nagoya

Nagoya is a city located in central Japan, easily accessible from Tokyo or Osaka.

The nearest international airports are:

Chubu Centrair International Airport (Nagoya) - 1 hour to Nagoya University
Kansai International Airport (Osaka) - 3 hours
Haneda Airport (Tokyo) - 3 hours
Narita International Airport (Tokyo) - 4 hours

The attractions in Nagoya and nearby cities include:

We plan to arrange a group tour to the Ghibli Park for the participants who are interested. Please let the organizers know well before the conference, as the park is very popular and the tickets typically need to be booked two months in advance.

Organizers

Links

Join our Facebook group for iconicity