Language in Fantastic Film Worlds:
Exploring Fictional Telecinematic Discourse
International Conference
Chemnitz University of Technology (hybrid)
March 19–20, 2026
We are pleased to announce that the conference Language in Fantastic Film Worlds: Exploring Fictional Telecinematic Discourse will take place at Chemnitz University of Technology (with online participation options) on March 19 and 20, 2026.
The conference responds to the ongoing trend in contemporary film and television productions to depict alternative realities and fantastic universes. Fantastic films commonly show linguistic creativity and innovation, including idiosyncratic language use by extraordinary characters, so that these pop cultural discourses are a highly promising subject for linguistic study (Mandala 2010). The attribute fantastic is conceptualized here in a wide sense, referring to all genres that portray fictional characters in settings that blatantly deviate from everyday reality in a framework of “estrangement” (Adams 2017). Accordingly, the conference is dedicated not only to science fiction (Rüdiger & Lange 2023) and fantasy (Castro 2024), but also to mystery, superhero, fairy tale, horror (Schubert 2020), and animated films, as well as movie adaptations from comics (Sanchez-Stockhammer 2020). Although telecinematic research has been gradually gaining momentum in linguistics (Piazza et al. 2011), fantastic films and their discursive characteristics have received surprisingly little attention yet. Tackling this research gap, this conference presents and discusses diverse facets of language use in fantastic films and TV shows.
The conference is structured into seven sections and three keynote lectures which reflect the inherently multifaceted nature of fantastic telecinematic discourse. The three keynote lectures apply the key areas of corpus linguistics, multimodal studies and sociolinguistics to different genres and thus – in line with the overall conference theme – serve to underline the potential of telecinematic discourse analysis at large. Monika Bednarek (Sydney) provides a corpus-based case study of Australian sci-fi and fantasy television series featuring Aboriginal protagonists. Roberta Piazza’s (Sussex) plenary lecture provides a multimodal account of how cinematic narratives are conveyed by storytellers engaging with the viewers as overhearers. Claudia Lange (Dresden) adopts a sociolinguistic approach to investigate the forms and functions of constructed languages in TV science fiction series.
All sessions continue selected existing trends but also point out new research directions: Section 1, entitled “Multimodality,” deals with how visual storytelling contributes to narrative world-building. Section 2 on “Multilingualism” explores the complex use of different languages and varieties in fantasy epics and science fiction. Section 3, “Fantastic Languages,” encompasses talks which focus on the structure and functional use of animal languages and fantasy communities. Section 4, “Corpus Linguistics,” presents a methodological discussion on the challenges of building text corpora for the study of fantastic films, and what can be derived from these. Section 5, “Pragmatic Theories and Language Philosophy,” comprises studies which examine how systematic pragmatic inferences can yield narrative effects in films. The papers in Section 6 outline the eponymous topic of “Identity construction” in various fantastic universes. Finally, Section 6, “Applied Approaches,” provides insights into how fantastic films are live-dubbed for film festivals and may serve to transmit linguistic knowledge. For more details on the conference programme, see the conference website.
With the focus on fantastic film worlds, we hope to establish a new subdiscipline of telecinematic discourse analysis. In addition, we aim to build bridges with neighbouring disciplines, such as film studies, literary criticism, English language teaching and cultural studies.
Contact:
Preliminary Programme
Language in Fantastic Film WorldsChemnitz, 19-20 March 2026 |
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Wednesday 18 March 2026 |
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16:30-18:00 |
City tour (optional) |
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18:00 |
Warming-up in Café ALEX (optional, Neumarkt 2) |
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Thursday 19 March 2026 |
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08:00-09:00 |
Registration |
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09:00-09:45 |
Conference opening |
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MULTIMODALITY |
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09:45-10:45 |
Keynote 1: Fantasy or truth? How films tell stories Roberta Piazza (chair: Christoph Schubert) |
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10:45-11:15 |
Coffee break |
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11:15-11:45 |
Multimodal discourse analysis: Verbal and multimodal world-building in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Adrián Castro |
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11:45-12:15 |
Science Fiction, Philosophy, Language, and Semiotic Transformations: The Case of Ray Faraday Nelson’s Eight O’clock in the Morning (1963) and They Live (1988) directed by John Carpenter Loreta Huber & Viktorija Šedvytytė |
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PRAGMATICS |
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12:15-12:45 |
Anticipating the monster: Suspenseful dialogue in the horror film series The Conjuring Christoph Schubert |
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12:45-14:00 |
Lunch |
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14:00-14:30
Parallel Session 1 |
The gaze of the killer: How dialogue and camerawork affect audience participation Christian Hoffmann |
Evaluating truth in discourse on Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Game of Thrones, and other fantastic worlds Squid Tamar-Mattis (online) |
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14:30-15:00 |
Expecting the unexpected: Examining the interplay between world knowledge and context in relatively unconstraining scenario Chengjie Jiang & Ruth Filik |
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15:00-15:30 |
Coffee break |
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MULTILINGUALISM |
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15:30-16:00
Parallel Session 2 |
“I am also a We”: Multilingualism and World Englishes in Sense8 Sarah Buschfeld & Sven Leuckert |
Stereotypes, humour and exoticising: Finnish, Hebrew and Yiddish in fantastic film and TV Riitta-Liisa Valijärvi & Lily Kahn |
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16:00-16:30 |
Foreign tongues and fabled lands: Multilinguistic complexity in The Lord of the Rings and Dune Katja Anderson & Maurice Anderson |
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16:30-17:15 |
Applied Approaches Workshop: Target-group-specific translation of international children’s films for live voiceover at film festivals Karina Geipel & Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer |
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17:30-19:00 |
Day 1 Social Programme: Reception |
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Friday 20 March 2026 |
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08:30-09:00 |
Registration |
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CORPUS LINGUISTICS |
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09:00-10:00 |
Keynote 2: Sci-fi and fantasy television series from Australia: A corpus linguistic case study Monika Bednarek (online) (chair: Christian Hoffmann) |
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10:00-10:30 |
Building a corpus of fantastic movies for the exploration of gendered telecinematic discourse: Issues and challenges Natalia Zawadzka-Paluektau |
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10:30-11:00 |
Coffee break |
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11:00-11:30 |
'Getting (pseudo-)medieval on the lingo': A corpus-linguistic study into diegetic dialogues in fantasy-medieval TV series Monika Kirner-Ludwig |
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APPLIED APPROACHES |
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11:30-12:00 |
The language didactics of sci-fi and fantasy Kerstin Richter |
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12:00-12:30 |
What’s in a Disney movie? A comparison of language in the Grimms’ fairy tales and their animated adaptations Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer, Cansu Akan, Sasha Coelho, Marina Beccard |
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12:30-13:30 |
Lunch |
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FANTASTIC LANGUAGES |
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13:30-14:30 |
Keynote 3: From Klingon to Belter slang: The forms and functions of (science) fictional languages Claudia Lange (chair: Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer) |
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14:30-15:00 |
The use and function of ‘foreign’ languages and accented English in fantastic film and television Catherine Sangster |
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15:00-15:30 |
Translingual tales and travels: Animal languages in film adaptations of children’s literature Natasha Anderson |
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15:30-16:00 |
Coffee break |
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IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION |
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16:00-16:30 |
Navigating real-world challenges through fantasy: Linguistic perspectives on parasocial interactions and ASD in magical and galactic worlds Veronika Mattová |
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16:30-17:00
Parallel Session 3 |
Nightcrawler's Babel: Linguistic representations of Kurt Wagner's complex identity Pavel Egizaryan |
Doctor Who, a very British Sci-Fi Julie Collins |
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17:00-17:30
Parallel Session 4 |
Powerful ‘others’: Gender role expression and subversion in Violet Evergarden and Spy x Family Zuzana Elliott & Chad Elliott |
"You, me, handcuffs… must it always end this way?" The Language of desire, romance, and asexuality in Doctor Who Farah Ali |
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17:30-18:00 |
Conference Closing |
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19:00-22:00 |
Day 2 Social Programme: Conference Dinner (Turmbrauhaus, Neumarkt 2) |
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Organising Committee
Conference chairs: Christian Hoffmann (University of Augsburg), Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer (Chemnitz University of Technology), Christoph Schubert (University of Vechta)
Local organising committee: Cansu Akan & Isabell Nitschmann
Keynote Speakers:
Monika Bednarek (The University of Sydney)
Claudia Lange (Dresden University of Technology)
Roberta Piazza (University of Sussex)
Travel and Accommodation
a) How far is the proposed venue from an international airport?
Chemnitz is accessible from several international airports:
- Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ): Approximately 85 kilometers from Chemnitz.
- Dresden Airport (DRS): Around 75 kilometers from Chemnitz.
- Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG): Roughly 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Chemnitz.
- Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER): About 240 kilometers from Chemnitz.
- Frankfurt Airport (FRA): Around 400 kilometers away.
b) How can delegates reach the venue from the airport?
Chemnitz is best reached via Leipzig or Dresden, both of which have frequent train and FlixBus connections to Chemnitz, with at least one train every hour. Alternatively, flying to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) or Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is also possible and allows for a wider range of options for international delegates. From Berlin, the train to Chemnitz takes up to 3.5 hours, while from Frankfurt it takes around 4.5 hours. FlixBus offers more economical but slightly slower options, with journeys from Berlin taking around 3.5 to 4 hours, and from Frankfurt taking 5 to 6 hours. Though flights to Leipzig and Dresden are available, the travel times are not significantly faster than taking the train from Berlin or Frankfurt. Below is a breakdown of distance and travel options for delegates from several nearby airports:
- From Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ):
- By Train: Frequent trains via Leipzig Hauptbahnhof; journey 1.5–2 hours.
- By FlixBus: Direct services from Leipzig to Chemnitz, approx. 1.5 hours.
- By Car: 1–1.5 hours via A14 and A4 motorways.
- From Dresden Airport (DRS):
- By Train: Via Dresden Hauptbahnhof, approx. 1.5 hours.
- By FlixBus: Direct services, approx. 1.5–2 hours.
- By Car: About 1 hour via A4 motorway.
- From Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER):
- By Train: ICE to Leipzig, transfer to regional train; total 3.5–4.5 hours.
- By FlixBus: Direct services, 3–3.5 hours.
- By Car: About 3 hours via A13 and A4 motorways.
- From Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG):
- By Train: Via Dresden, 4–4.5 hours.
- By Bus: Direct routes (FlixBus, PragBus), 2.5–3.5 hours.
- By Car: About 2 hours via D8 and A17 motorways.
- From Frankfurt Airport (FRA):
- By Train: ICE to Leipzig, then regional train; total 4–4.5 hours.
- By FlixBus: Direct services, 5–6 hours.
- By Car: About 4 hours via A5 and A4 motorways.
c) What types of accommodation could be provided?
All participants will be responsible for arranging their own accommodation at a hotel or through Airbnb as TU Chemnitz cannot provide guest houses or student housing at the time of the conference. To make things easier for you, we have booked a block of rooms at Super 8 by Wyndham hotel in the city centre (Stefan-Heym-Platz 3) for 69 € per single room per night (without breakfast). If you would like to make use of this self-paying offer, please get in touch with the hotel by email (55369@super8chemnitz.de) or by phone (0049 371 9128970) and use the code "Film". The offer is valid until February 3, 2026.
d) Do you expect to be able to organize accommodation for all delegates in buildings within easy walking distance of each other?
The closest hotel to the campus, Seaside Residenz Hotel, is 1.5 km away from the buildings where the conference will take place. Unfortunately, it cannot be guaranteed that the hotel will have enough rooms for all delegates.
e) How would delegates reach the conference site from their accommodation?
It is fairly easy to navigate the city. Chemnitz’s well-designed public transport system run by Chemnitzer-Verkehrs AG (CVAG) includes an efficient tram network, with tram line 3 connecting the university’s sites directly. In addition, regional bus lines provide convenient transportation across the entire city. For those who prefer a more active mode of travel, cycling routes connect the university’s sites, offering a quick and sustainable option for getting around. The delegates can rent a bike from Chemnitzer Stadtfahrrad at a reasonable price. It takes around 10 minutes by bike, 20 minutes on foot, or just 5 tram stops to reach the conference venue from the city center.
f) Can facilities be provided for delegates with special needs?
Chemnitz University of Technology is continuously working towards becoming an inclusive institution, ensuring that web and document accessibility is a priority, and providing barrier-free facilities. We will make every effort to accommodate delegates with special needs, offering accessible spaces and tailored support throughout the conference.
There are a range of facilities designed to accommodate diverse needs, including first aid and rest rooms, as well as common rooms located in the conference venue, where delegates can access rest areas and breastfeeding or diaper-changing facilities in the Central Auditorium and Seminar Building. For those traveling with family, there are children’s play corners available at Mensa Reichenhainer Straße, right across the conference venue, with highchairs provided for children.
g) Is there anywhere of special interest which delegates might visit during the conference?
Chemnitz offers a variety of interesting attractions for delegates to explore during the conference. Chemnitz’s industrial history can be explored in the Industry Museum. Art enthusiasts can visit the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz (Chemnitz Art Collections), one of Germany’s largest municipal art collections, spread across five houses. Chemnitz is also home to Schönherrfabrik, a revitalized industrial site now featuring a restaurant, coffee roastery, and event spaces, blending history with modern culture. Additionally, the Wirkbau, another revitalized site, now houses a restaurant, coffee roastery, and event venues, blending industry with modern urban life.
For those interested in architecture, the Kaßberg boasts one of Europe’s largest contiguous Art Nouveau and Wilhelminian-style neighborhoods, offering stunning early 20th-century design. History enthusiasts can explore Rabenstein Castle, Saxony’s smallest medieval castle, where medieval festivals and knights’ games are held throughout the year. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy walks around Chemnitz Castle District and Water Castle Klaffenbach, both set in picturesque landscapes perfect for leisurely strolls. Delegates may also experience traditional German cultural events, such as wine festivals, Oktoberfest celebrations, and concerts, depending on the offerings at the time.
h) Estimated cost of different types of accommodation
There are many hotel, pension and Airbnb options for affordable prices. Yet, the organizing team will try to secure the best possible offers from the hotels within easy reach of the conference venue. Below are the daily rates of such selected hotels:
- Congress Hotel Chemnitz: €49/night
- B&B Hotel Chemnitz: €58/night
- Super8 by Wyndham Chemnitz: €58/night
- ACHAT Hotel Chemnitz: €51/night
- Biendo Hotel: €77/night
- Seaside Residenz Hotel: €85/night
- co56 Hotel Chemnitz: €90/night
- Hotel an der Oper: €96/night
Registration
Please register for the conference using the form provided at https://forms.gle/F5LvzQDxrD9yhuoA7. If you would prefer to register by email instead, please do so by writing to edl@phil.tu-chemnitz.de.
The deadlines for registration are 15 February 2026 for on-site participation and 15 March 2026 for online participation.
We encourage on-site participation, but there is also a free online option for those who cannot come in person.
The on-site package includes catering during coffee breaks, lunch for both days (20€), the reception on the first evening (20€) and the conference dinner on the second evening (40€).
The following registration options are available:
- On-site, regular (= with PhD), early bird registration (by 15 January 2026). (€ 210)
- On-site, regular (= with PhD), late registration (after 15 January 2026). (€ 250)
- On-site, reduced (= no PhD), early bird registration (by 15 January 2026). (€ 195)
- On-site, reduced (= no PhD), late registration (after 15 January 2026). (€ 210)
- Online (free)
You also have the opportunity to register for a free walking tour of the city centre and a self-paying pre-conference gathering on the evening before the conference starts.
Once you submit the registration form at https://forms.gle/F5LvzQDxrD9yhuoA7, you will receive an automated confirmation email. In due course, we will send you another email with payment details and further information. Please note that payment will be possible by credit card (in January 2026 only) and by bank transfer.
References
References
Adams, Michael. 2017. The pragmatics of estrangement in fantasy and science fiction. In Miriam A. Locher & Andreas H. Jucker (eds.), Pragmatics of fiction, 329-363. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.
Bednarek, Monika. 2018. Language and television series. A linguistic approach to TV dialogue. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bednarek, Monika, Marcia Veirano Pinto & Valentin Werner. 2021. Corpus approaches to telecinematic language. Special Issue of International Journal of Corpus Linguistics 26(1).
Bednarek, Monika. 2023. Language and characterisation in television series: A corpus-informed approach to the construction of social identity in the media. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Beers Fägersten, Kristy (ed.). 2016. Watching TV with a linguist. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press.
Boberg, Charles. 2021. Accent in North American film and television: A sociophonetic analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Castro, Adrián. 2024. Telecinematic stylistics: Language and style in fantasy TV series. Language and Literature 33(1). 3-24.
Frobenius, Maximiliane & Cornelia Gerhardt. To appear 2024. Non-natural dialogue in comedy: Language as sound in the creation of multimodal humor. In Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer & Christian Hoffmann (eds.), Language and/in Film. Special issue of Anglistik.
Hodson, Jane. 2014. Dialect in film and literature. London: Palgrave.
Hoffmann, Christian & Monika Kirner-Ludwig (eds.). 2020. Telecinematic stylistics. London: Bloomsbury.
Janney, Richard W. 2012. Pragmatics and cinematic discourse. Lodz Papers in Pragmatics 8(1). 85-113.
Kozloff, Sarah. 2000. Overhearing film dialogue. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Locher, Miriam A. & Andreas H. Jucker (eds.). 2017. Pragmatics of fiction. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton.
Mandala, Susan. 2010. Language in science fiction and fantasy: The question of style. London: Continuum.
Piazza, Roberta, Monika Bednarek & Fabio Rossi (eds.). 2011. Telecinematic discourse: Approaches to the language of films and television series. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Reichelt, Susan. 2018. The sociolinguistic construction of character diversity in fictional television series. Cardiff: Cardiff University dissertation. https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/114837/
Rüdiger, Sofia & Claudia Lange (eds.). 2023. The language of science fiction. Special issue of Linguistics Vanguard 9(3).
Sanchez-Stockhammer, Christina. 2020. How comics communicate on the screen: Telecinematic discourse in comic-to-film adaptations. In Christian Hoffmann & Monika Kirner-Ludwig (eds.), Telecinematic Stylistics, 263-284. London: Bloomsbury.
Sanchez-Stockhammer, Christina & Christian Hoffmann (eds.). To appear 2024. Language and/in film. Special issue of Anglistik.
Schubert, Christoph. 2020. The visual discourse of shots and cuts: Applying the cooperative principle to horror film cinematography. In Christian Hoffmann & Monika Kirner-Ludwig (eds.), Telecinematic stylistics, 183-204. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
Schubert, Christoph. 2023. Tarantino’s eloquent villains: A pragma-stylistic approach to suspense. English Text Construction 16(2). 119-143.
Wildfeuer, Janina. 2014. Film discourse interpretation: Towards a new paradigm for multimodal film analysis. London: Routledge.