Based in the stunning scenary of the Dolomites, in North-Eastern Italy, where a variety of language groups have been in contact for a very long time, the Kontatti Project focuses on the effects of language contact on linguistic structures and on discourse strategies.

An important language border crosses the area, that between Germanic and Romance. A second border runs between the Italo-Romance (Trentino dialects) and the Rheto-Romance (Ladin) linguistic areas. In addition, two German-speaking minority islands (Mòcheno and Cimbro) are surrounded by Trentino dialects and have no direct contacts with the wider German-speaking area.

Research methods include the recording, annotation and analysis of semi-spontaneous dialogic speech samples.

Project Funding: Autonomous Province of Bolzano-Bozen – 3rd Public competition for scientific projects – CUP B56J16000730003

Duration: 1.9.2016-31.8.2019