Natalie Korobzow

Natalie Korobzow is a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology's Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution. Her work focuses on historical linguistics, with expertise in Mayan, Indo-European, and Yeniseian languages. She investigates language prehistory through methods combining comparative philology, diachronic typology, and anthropology.

Education:

• PhD in Linguistics (summa cum laude), University of Cologne (2019–2024)
• M.A. in Linguistics, University of Cologne (2016–2019)
• B.A. in Ancient American Studies & Anthropology and Scandinavian Studies (double major), University of Bonn (2012–2016)
• B.A. in Romance Studies and Celtic Studies, University of Bonn (2011–2014)

Research Interests: Her studies explore linguistic phenomena like split ergativity in Ch’orti’ Maya, Proto-Yeniseian sound systems, and the development of Mesoamerican numeral systems. She also engages with script decipherment (e.g., Kushan scripts) and digital tools for historical texts. Current projects include the ERC-funded QUANTA initiative on quantification systems in Mesoamerica.

Publications: Her work spans diachronic linguistics, script decipherment, and language reconstruction. Notable contributions include a 2025 PhD thesis on Ch’orti’ Maya ergativity and collaborative studies on the Dašt-i Nāwur trilingual inscriptions. Recent research highlights include partial decipherment of the Unknown Kushan script and reevaluation of Proto-Yeniseian phonology.

Awards/Grants: Funded by ERC Synergy (QUANTA) and DFG projects (VedaWeb 2.0). Involved in international collaborations on Central Asian linguistics and Mesoamerican cultural history.

Labs/Teams: Member of the QUANTA team and interdisciplinary groups at the Max Planck Institute, focusing on language evolution and cultural heritage projects.