ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University will host about 200 international African linguistics and language-teaching scholars and students March 21 through March 24. The conference is a joint gathering of the 33rd Annual Conference on African Linguistics (ACAL) and the sixth annual Conference of the African Language Teachers Association (ALTA).

The conference will be hosted by Ohio University's Department of Linguistics and the Center for African Studies, and is jointly sponsored by Ohio University's College of Arts and Sciences, Office of Sponsored Research and Rutgers University. Conference management services are being provided by the Ohio University Division of Lifelong Learning.

All conference presentations will take place in Morton Hall and will feature invited speakers and scholars from around the globe. A Saturday evening banquet and dance in Baker University Center Ballroom will feature dishes prepared by members of the African Student Union.

Pre-registration is required and should be done by March 14. The conference is open to the public. For information regarding registration and logistics, contact Assistant Director for Community and Professional Programs Pat Davidson at davidson@ohio.edu or (740) 593-1767.

For more information regarding the program (including abstracts and invited speakers' topics), contact conference director Dr. John Mugane at mugane@ohio.edu or (740) 597-2595; or his graduate assistant Xiangui Yang at xiangui@yahoo.com. For complete information, visit the conference's Web site at www.ohiou.edu/alta/acal_2002.html