Delphi Workshop 2025

Corpora and Diachrony: Influential Texts, Text Types and Genres

November 27-29, 2025
Delphi, Greece

About the Workshop

An intensive three-day workshop at the heart of ancient Delphi

Ancient Manuscript

Our Mission

This workshop represents the culmination of a major research project funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI/ELIDEK). We developed corpus-based valency lexicons for ancient and medieval languages using innovative computational methods integrated with traditional philological expertise.

Set in the inspiring archaeological site of Delphi - ancient center of wisdom and prophecy - we explore how corpus-based methods illuminate patterns of language change across millennia.

Fully Funded Workshop

All expenses are covered for participants. No registration fees. Accommodation, meals, and cultural program included.

Funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI) under the "2nd Call for H.F.R.I. Research Projects to support Faculty Members & Researchers".

In cooperation with the Naxos School project on Diachronic Linguistics.

Hellenic Foundation for Research and InnovationGreece 2.0National and Kapodistrian University of AthensEuropean Cultural Centre of DelphiNaxos School of Diachronic LinguisticsAthens Digital Glossa Chronos

Speakers

Distinguished scholars in the field

Keynote Speakers

Dag Trygve Truslew Haug

University of Oslo, Norway

Diachronic corpora from Greek to Norwegian: Lessons learned and future plans

George Mikros

University of Qatar, Qatar

Authenticating the Artificial: LLMs and the Stylometric Challenge of Ancient Greek Prose

Carola Trips

University of Mannheim, Germany

Enriching annotated corpora to identify contact-induced change: new tools and methods

Daniel Riaño Rufilanchas

Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain

The semantic structured polysemy of the Ancient Greek Genitive: a holistic proposal

Alexandros Tantos

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

AI as a Calibrated Partner: Accelerating and Validating the Corpus Annotation–Analysis Cycle

Ioanna Sitaridou

University of Cambridge, UK

Title TBA

Invited Speakers

Iván Andrés-Alba

Universidad de Murcia, Spain

Esteban Belmehdi

CHS, Harvard University, USA

Francesca Dell'Oro

University of Bologna, Italy

Mirjam Fried

Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Stavroula Kefala

Hellenic Open University, Greece

Ioanna Papadopoulou

CHS, Harvard University, USA

Anna Piata

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Julien Razanajao

CHS, Harvard University, USA

Three-Day Program

November 27-29, 2025

Opening & Foundations

Thursday, November 27

09:30Registration & Welcome
09:45Workshop Opening by Organizing Committee (30 min)
10:15Presenting the Athens Digital Glossa Chronos (AthDGC) Project: Retranslations Across Millennia - Lavidas et al. (75 min)
11:30Coffee Break #1
12:00KEYNOTE: Diachronic corpora from Greek to Norwegian - Dag Haug (60 min)
13:00Insubordination phenomena as a quintessential example of genre-dependent language change - Mirjam Fried (30 min)
13:30Lunch at European Cultural Centre
15:00KEYNOTE: Enriching annotated corpora to identify contact-induced change - Carola Trips (60 min)
16:00Reportative constructions with inanimate subjects - Francesca Dell'Oro (30 min)
16:30Coffee Break #2
17:00KEYNOTE: The semantic structured polysemy of the Ancient Greek Genitive - Daniel Riaño Rufilanchas (60 min)
18:00On speakers and influential texts: Homeric epics and the anatomical lexicon - Iván Andrés-Alba (30 min)
18:30Grammar in Motion: Diachronic Variation and the Linguistic Adaptability of Advertising - Stavroula Kefala (30 min)
20:30Dinner at Omphalos Tavern, Arachova

Deep Dive & Collaboration

Friday, November 28

09:15KEYNOTE: Authenticating the Artificial: LLMs and the Stylometric Challenge - George Mikros (60 min)
10:15Arrested change and construction preservation in the context of genre - Kiki Nikiforidou (30 min)
10:45Coffee Break #3
11:15Tracks to the past and genre dynamics in zero/that complementation - Vassiliki Geka (30 min)
11:45Approaching anticipated events in the past: Linguistic, affective and genre-based motivations - Anna Piata (30 min)
12:15Coffee Break #4
12:45Departure for the archaeological site of Delphi
13:00Guided Tour of Delphi Archaeological Site (2.5 hrs)
16:00Lunch at European Cultural Centre
17:30KEYNOTE: AI as a Calibrated Partner: Accelerating and Validating the Corpus Annotation–Analysis Cycle - Alexandros Tantos (60 min)
18:30Coffee Break #5
19:00KEYNOTE: Title TBA - Ioanna Sitaridou (60 min)
21:00Gala Dinner at Vakhos Tavern

Technology & Future Directions

Saturday, November 29

09:30Special Session: Technology in the Service of Classical and Historical Languages - ARCAS Team (CHS Harvard) & AthDGC (60 min)
10:30Coffee Break #6
11:00Final Discussion: Planning Next Project (60 min)
12:00Closing Ceremony (30 min)
12:30Lunch at European Cultural Centre
14:30Departure to Athens

Venue & Travel

European Cultural Centre of Delphi

European Cultural Centre of DelphiConference venue interior

The Venue

The workshop takes place at the European Cultural Centre of Delphi, located in the heart of the archaeological site. The Centre provides an inspiring setting for intellectual exchange, with modern facilities in a historically significant location.

  • •Main conference room
  • •Breakout spaces for discussions
  • •On-site guesthouse accommodation
  • •WiFi and modern facilities

Contact Information

For inquiries about the workshop

Organizers

Nikolaos Lavidas, Kiki Nikiforidou, Vassiliki Geka, Vassileios Symeonidis, Sofia Chionidi, Anastasia Tsiropina, Eleni Plakoutsi

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

nlavidas@enl.uoa.gr