The world-renowned Polyglot Conference will be held in Taiwan for the first time this November, making Taiwan the second Asian host after Japan. Founded in 2007, the conference brings together global experts and enthusiasts in language education, preservation, and revitalization.
Taiwan’s successful bid was initiated in 2023 when the Indigenous Languages Research and Development Foundation attended the conference and proposed Taiwan as a future host. According to Founder Terry Chih Hsiang Hsieh (謝智翔) of Polyglot.tw, which is the local organization lead for the conference, a country’s unique language resources and the suitability of the host city’s venues are key factors in the decision to award hosting rights by the main organizer.
Given that Taiwan is home to multiple languages, including Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, and over 16 Indigenous tongues, many of which belong to the Austronesian family, the selection was based on Taiwan’s rich linguistic diversity and available resources.
Hsieh says unlike typical academic gatherings, the Polyglot Conference embraces a wide range of language-related presentations from people of all backgrounds. He says presentation content is not limited to academic papers, and speakers do not have to be scholars. As such, he encourages both native Taiwanese speakers and foreign residents to participate as presenters.
Hsieh emphasizes that the event values all languages equally and hopes local experts will join to share their knowledge, not only to satisfy the curiosity of language enthusiasts but also to showcase the beauty of Taiwan’s linguistic heritage to the world.