Nigel Fabb

Nigel Fabb is a Visiting Professor of Literary Linguistics at the University of Strathclyde, set to become Emeritus Professor in September 2024. He holds a BA from the University of Cambridge (1980) and a PhD in Linguistics from MIT (1984), supervised by Noam Chomsky. His research focuses on the intersection of linguistics and literary form, with notable works analyzing meter, rhyme, and cognitive responses to literature. Fabb has authored influential books like A Theory of Thrills, Sublime and Epiphany in Literature (2022) and What is Poetry (2015), and edited volumes including Rhyme and Rhyming in Verbal Art (2022). He has held prestigious fellowships, including the Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship (2014–2017), and served as editor of the Journal of Linguistics (1997–2014). His current projects include co-authoring a book on songs and linguistics with Myfany Turpin.

Fabb’s research interests span metrical theory, cognitive approaches to literary experiences, and linguistic universals in poetry. He has explored topics such as the psychological basis of thrills in literature, the role of working memory in poetic form, and cross-linguistic verse structures. His work bridges linguistics, literature, and cognitive science, with interdisciplinary contributions to palaeography, cultural studies, and economics.

Fabb has been actively involved in academic leadership roles, including Head of Department (2002–2005), Acting Dean (2010), and Vice-Dean for Research (2010–2013). He remains an editor of the Literary Universals Project and has delivered keynote lectures globally. His Erdös-Bacon number of 8 reflects his unique interdisciplinary reach, combining academic collaboration with a connection to theater through Russell T Davies.