Václav Blažek

Prof. RNDr. Václav Blažek, CSc. is a Professor of Indo-European Comparative Linguistics at the Institute of Linguistics and Baltic Studies, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. Born on April 23, 1959 in Sokolov, he has established himself as a leading scholar in historical linguistics with expertise spanning multiple language families. His academic career at Masaryk University began in 1995, following earlier teaching experience at a secondary school in Dubná near Příbram.

His academic credentials include:

• 1983: Completed studies in mathematics and physics education at Charles University's Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• 1981-1983: External studies in Africanistics and Indo-European studies at Charles University's Faculty of Arts
• 1984: RNDr. (equivalent to MSc) from Charles University
• 1993: CSc. (PhD equivalent) with dissertation "Zoological Terminology of Indo-European Languages (Mammals)"
• 1998: Habilitation with work "Numerals"
• 1998: Associate Professor in Indo-European Comparative Linguistics
• 2003: Full Professor in Indo-European Comparative Linguistics

Prof. Blažek's research spans multiple linguistic domains with particular focus on comparative historical linguistics across diverse language families. His primary interests include Indo-European comparative linguistics, etymology, and the study of numeral systems across language families. He has made significant contributions to understanding connections between Indo-European and Afroasiatic languages, as well as exploring Uralic and Altaic linguistic structures. His work often bridges linguistic analysis with cultural anthropology and historical migration patterns, examining how language reflects human movement and cultural exchange across millennia. Prof. Blažek is particularly known for his meticulous work on etymological dictionaries and comparative studies of linguistic features across disparate language families.

His extensive publication record reveals consistent engagement with core questions in historical linguistics, particularly regarding language classification, etymological connections, and the reconstruction of proto-languages. Recent work shows continued focus on Indo-European studies while expanding into comparative analyses with Afroasiatic, Uralic, and Altaic language families. A notable pattern is his interest in material culture terms (like vessels, body parts, and natural phenomena) as windows into ancient cultural practices and language contact.

Prof. Blažek has received several prestigious academic recognitions including:

• Humboldt Scholarship (1993-1994 and 1998) at universities in Cologne and Bonn
• Scholarship from the Austrian Institute for South and Southeast Europe (1996) at the University of Vienna
• Scholarship at the Netherland Institute of Advanced Study (2003)

As an academic supervisor, Prof. Blažek has guided numerous master's theses and doctoral dissertations in Indo-European Comparative Linguistics and Ethnolinguistics. His teaching portfolio includes courses on World Languages, Writing Systems, Mathematical Apparatus of Linguistics, Selected Topics in Etymology, and Indo-European Languages. He has served on dissertation committees and has been instrumental in shaping the next generation of linguists specializing in comparative historical linguistics. Prof. Blažek is also an active member of the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Arts at Masaryk University and has participated in academic governance.

Prof. Blažek maintains active involvement in academic communities through memberships in the Industry Council for English Linguistics, Classical Philology, Comparative Indo-European Linguistics, Religious Studies, and Greek Studies. He has served on the Program Board for Classical Greek Language and Literature and has contributed significantly to the academic direction of linguistic and classical studies at Masaryk University.