This project focuses on implications for linguistic theory of a phenomenon found in some Basque dialects known as allocutivity—morphological agreement with non-participant addressees. Current syntactic literature is besotted with this phenomenon for the privileged access it offers into syntactic representations of Speaker and Hearer speech act roles, which are encoded syntactically in all human languages. Basque is special as a laboratory variety for exploring the syntax of speech act roles in that no other language so far described approximates Basque in terms of (i) the direct morphological evidence that it offers about the relationship among allocutivity, thematic addressees and vocative expressions, and (ii) its rich patterns of cross-dialectal/cross-speaker variation revealing loci of formal variation. The principal goal of this project is to describe three facets of this phenomenon wholly ignored in extant formal and psycholinguistic descriptions: (i) the nature of cross-dialectal variation and change in the syntax of allocutivity; (ii) the relationship of allocutivity to vocative expressions across dialects; and (iii) differences in grammatical constraints across levels of politeness marking. The project team —spanning diverse fields of expertise and from several different institutions— will gather two kinds of data to address these issues: survey data through a web-based application (N ?500), and interview data with a smaller set of participants (N ?120). Data will be made publicly accessible through an online data dashboard and through summaries in peer-reviewed publications.

The P3 project will conduct ecological research and policy relevant actions on pollution, pathogens and anthropological impacts in mountain ecosystems, especially at the interface of aquatic and terrestrial habitats and in the socio-ecological system. The research will be conducted in four mountain ranges: the Pyrenees (France), Dhofar Mountains (Oman), Sierra Nevada (USA) and the Great Hinggan Mountain (China). The mountain ranges proposed to be studied in P3 are on different continents with shared characteristics, but also with differences allowing for the analysis of the different societal and ecological contexts, which will be studied along altitudinal gradients. P3 will augment, align and focus research strands already ongoing in the institutions of P3 partners. The principal aim of P3 is to understand the impact of climate change on mountain watersheds and the risks for stakeholders and the general public. In a first step, P3 will develop a common database, combining information on the different mountain ranges in focus of P3, will establish an international network of mountain field stations, collect data along gradients on pollution and pathogens in the socioecological context and will use this data to model different biotic and abiotic parameters. Based on historical and newly collected data, P3 will develop dynamic indicators and develop essential biodiversity variables relevant for the mountain context to facilitate the engagement with the general public, stakeholders and policymakers. P3 aims to raise awareness for the changes in mountain ecosystems around the world. P3 will then develop a set of headline indicators using the mountains as sentinels and to elaborate policy recommendations to establish mountain freshwater ecosystem as sentinels for biodiversity and climate change. The latter will be summarized in the Mountains as sentinels of change concept note MESC.