معرفی
Professor Lutz Marten is a distinguished academic at SOAS University of London, holding the position of Professor of General and African Linguistics. He serves as Head of the SOAS Doctoral School and has previously led the Department of Linguistics and acted as Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Cultures. His research focuses on formal linguistics, syntax, semantics, and historical linguistics, with a specialization in Bantu languages like Swahili, Herero, and Bemba. He leads projects on morphosyntactic variation, language contact, and the dynamics of linguistic change, including a Leverhulme-funded study on Bantu languages and a British Academy project on Kitaveta. He has authored books such as Colloquial Swahili and contributes to academic journals like Transactions of the Philological Society. His editorial roles and international collaborations highlight his global influence in African linguistics.
- Education:
- MA, PhD (London School of Economics)
- PGCLTHE (Open University)
- Undergraduate studies at the University of Hamburg
- Research Interests:
- Formal Linguistics (Dynamic Syntax)
- Bantu morphosyntax and typology
- Language contact and sociolinguistics
- Historical linguistics and language change
- Projects:
- British Academy-funded description of Kitaveta
- Leverhulme Trust project on Bantu variation
- Language for Lockdown initiative
His recent articles explore topics like Swahili morphosyntactic borrowing, politeness strategies in urban youth languages, and typological covariation in Bantu focus marking. Active in academic governance, he chairs the REF2021 sub-panel for Area Studies and advises the London Confucius Institute.
