Larry Hyman

Larry Hyman is a Professor of Linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, and Executive Director of the France-Berkeley Fund. He previously taught at the University of Southern California from 1971–1988 and chaired Berkeley's Department of Linguistics from 1991–2002. His research focuses on phonological theory, tone systems, and the historical study of Niger-Congo languages, particularly Bantu. He founded the Comparative Bantu On-Line Dictionary (CBOLD), funded by the NSF and collaborating with the Laboratoire Dynamique du Langage (CNRS/Université Lyon 2).

Hyman's work spans theoretical linguistics, descriptive grammar, and historical linguistics. His current interests include phonological typology, Bantu language family reconstruction, and the role of tone systems in language structure. He has authored multiple books and over 200 articles, with notable contributions to understanding Bantu verb morphology, tonal interactions, and language contact phenomena.

His recent research explores tone system evolution, morphotactic patterns in Bantu verbs, and prosodic licensing mechanisms. Hyman is actively involved in academic leadership, serving as Program Chair and on the Faculty Advisory Board at the Institute of European Studies. His work bridges theoretical innovation with empirical documentation, emphasizing cross-linguistic comparisons and historical reconstruction.