Between January 2006 and September 2008 I am working as a guest researcher at the department of Oriental Studies of the University of Mainz in Germany. My research topic is “Verbal morphology and the historical comparison of the Trans-Eurasian languages.” The research is funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
In 2007 my host at the University of Mainz, Prof. Dr. Dr. Lars Johanson and I received a supplementary allowance for research costs from the Humboldt Foundation. Since it would be a waste of research means to spend the entire amount on travels to consult European specialists in the field, we decided to invite the specialists to Mainz. In that way they can be consulted on the spot, fruitful discussions can take place and interested colleagues may join and benefit from the debate.
Our wish is to encourage a less formal working-group with some structured order of speech. We would like to welcome everyone interested in the topic to join the working-group on 03 and 04 September 2008 in Mainz.
Lars Johanson & Martine Robbeets
