Famous Linguists

• Abdul Haq, Maulvi (India, 1870–1961), Urdu language
• Abramson, Arthur S. (USA), phonetics
• Adams, Douglas Q. (USA), English language, comparative linguistics, Tocharian languages
• Adler, George J. (Germany/USA, 1821–1868), lexicography, German language, English language
• Aikhenvald, Alexandra Yurievna (Russia, 1957—), syntax, typology, Amazonian languages, Papuan languages, Hebrew language, Russian language
• Aitken, Adam Jack (UK, 1921–1998), lexicography
• Ajduković, Jovan (Serbia, 1968—), Slavic languages, sociolinguistics, contact linguistics, Russian language, Serbian language
• Albright, William Foxwell (USA, 1891–1971), Semitic languages
• Alleyne, Mervyn Coleridge (Trinidad & Tobago/Jamaica, 1933—), creole languages
• Amerias (Greece), Ancient Macedonian language, lexicography
• Aoun, Joseph (Lebanon/USA), oriental languages, syntax
• Aristar, Anthony (USA, 1948—), linguistic infrastructure
• Aronoff, Mark (Canada, 1949—), morphology
• Austin, John Langshaw (UK, 1911–1960), philosophy of language, speech act
• Azad, Humayun (Bangladesh, 1947–2004), Bengali language
• Bach, Emmon (USA, 1929—), syntax, phonology, Haisla language

• Baker, Mark (USA), Mohawk language, generative grammar
• Bally, Charles (Switzerland, 1865–1947), French language, phraseology
• Bardovi-Harlig, Kathleen (USA, 1954—) second language acquisition, tense and aspect, pragmatics
• Bar-Hillel, Yehoshua (Israel, 1915–1975), machine translation, categorial grammar
• Barker, (Philip) Muhammad Abd-al-Rahman (USA, 1930—), Urdu language, Indian languages
• Barlow, Robert Hayward (USA, 1918–1951), Nahuatl language
• Barnhart, David K. (USA, 1941—), lexicography, English language
• Barnhart, Robert (USA, 1933–2007), lexicography, English language
• Barsky, Robert (USA), discourse analysis
• Bartlett, John Russell (USA, 1805–1886),
• Baudouin de Courtenay, Jan Niecisław (Poland, 1845–1929), phonology, Polish language
• Beckman, Mary E. (USA), phonetics, phonology
• Beckwith, Christopher (USA, 1945—), Asian languages, Tibetan language
• Bender, M. Lionel (USA), African languages
• Berlitz, Charles Frambach (USA, 1914–2003), language acquisition
• Berlitz, Maximilian Delphinius (USA, 1852–1921), language acquisition
• Bhartrihari (India, 450–510), Sanskrit
• Bickerton, Derek (USA, 1926—), creole languages, origin of language
• Bleek, Wilhelm Heinrich Immanuel (Germany, 1827–1875), languages of Africa
• Bloch, Bernard (USA, 1907–1965), Japanese language
• Bloch, Jules (France, 1880–1953), languages of India
• Bloomfield, Leonard (USA , 1887–1949), structural linguistics
• Boas, Franz (USA, 1858–1942), indigenous languages of the Americas
• Boersma, Paul (Netherlands, 1959—), phonetics
• Bolinger, Dwight Le Merton (USA, 1907–1992), semantics, Spanish language
• Bomhard, Allan R. (USA, 1943—), Nostratic languages, historical linguistics
• Bopp, Franz (Germany, 1791–1867), Indo-European languages, comparative linguistics
• Boyd, Julian Charles (USA, 1931–2005), English language
• Bresnan, Joan (USA, 1945—), syntax
• Bright, William (USA, 1928–2006), Native American languages, South Asian languages
• Brody, Michael (Hungary, 1954—), syntax
• Browman, Catherine (phonetics, phonology)
• Brugmann, Karl (Germany, 1849–1919), Indo-European languages, Sanskrit, comparative linguistics
• Bucholtz, Mary (USA), sociolinguistics
• Burgess, Anthony (UK, 1917–1993), English, Nadsat, phonetics
• Burling, Robbins (USA, 1926—), languages of India
• Burridge, Kate (Australia), Germanic languages

• Campbell, Lyle (USA), Native American languages
• Canger, Una (Denmark, 1938—), Mesoamerican languages
• Capell, Arthur (Australia, 1902–1986), Australian languages, Austronesian languages, Papuan languages
• Cardona, George (USA, Indo-European studies
• Carnap, Rudolf (Germany, 1891–1970), syntax, constructed languages
• Carnie, Andrew (Canada, 1969—), syntax
• Caro, Miguel A. (Colombia, 1843–1909), Spanish language, Colombian Spanish
• Carpenter, William Henry (USA, 1853–1936), Icelandic language
• Chadwick, John (UK, 1920–1998), Linear B
• Chakrabarti, Byomkes (India, 1923–1981), Santali language, Bengali language, comparative linguistics
• Champollion, Jean-François (France, 1790–1832), Egyptian hieroglyphs
• Chambers, Jack (Canada, 1938—), sociolinguistics
• Chatterji, Suniti Kumar (India, 1890–1977), Bengali language
• Chomsky, Noam (USA, 1928—), syntax, universal grammar
• Chyet, Michael L. (USA, 1957—), Kurdish language
• Clyne, Michael George (Australia), Germanic languages
• Collitz, Hermann (Germany/USA, 1855–1935), historical linguistics
• Comrie, Bernard (UK, 1947—), typology
• Coşeriu, Eugen (Romania/Germany, 1921–2002), Romance languages
• Cowgill, Warren (USA, 1929–1985), Indo-European studies
• Cowper, Elizabeth (Canada), syntax
• Croft, William (USA, 1956—), syntax, cognitive linguistics
• Crystal, David (UK, 1941—), English language, language death
• Cuervo, Rufino J. (Colombia, 1844–1911), Spanish language, Colombian Spanish
• Culicover, Peter W. (USA), syntax, language change
• Curme, George Oliver, Sr. (USA, 1860–1948), German language, English language
• Dal, Vladimir (Russia, 1801–1872), lexicography, Russian language

• Dani, Ahmad Hasan (Pakistan, 1920—), South Asian languages
• Daniels, Peter T. (USA), writing systems
• Deacon, Terrence (USA), language change, origin of language, cognitive linguistics
• Dehkhoda, Ali-Akbar (Iran, 1879–1959), lexicography, Persian language
• Delbrück, Berthold (Germany, 1842–1922), Indo-European languages, syntax, comparative linguistics
• DeLozier, Judith (USA), neuro-linguistic programming
• Dempwolff, Otto (Germany, 1871–1938), Austronesian languages
• van Dijk, Teun A. (Netherlands, 1943—), pragmatics, discourse analysis, text linguistics
• Dixon, R. M. W. (Australia, 1939—), syntax, typology, Australian languages, Amazonian languages
• Dobrovský, Josef (Czech Republic, 1753–1829), Slavic languages, Czech language, lexicography
• Doke, Clement Martyn (South Africa, 1893–1980), Bantu languages, Lamba language
• Dolgopolsky, Aharon (Russia/Israel, 1930—), Nostratic languages
• Dooley, Sheila (USA, 1959—), syntax, typology
• Dorian, Nancy (USA), language death, Scottish Gaelic
• Dougherty, Ray C. (USA), transformational grammar, computational linguistics
• Dowty, David (USA), semantics, syntax
• Dozier, Edward P. (USA, 1916–1971), Native American languages, languages of the Philippines
• Dressler, Wolfgang U. (Austria, 1939—), phonology, morphology, text linguistics
• van Driem, George (Netherlands), Tibeto-Burman languages, symbiosism, Dzongkha language
• Duden, Konrad (Germany, 1829–1911), lexicography, German language
• Dunn, John Asher (USA), Tsimshian language

• Edwards, Jonathan, Jr. (USA, 1745–1801), North American languages, historical linguistics, Mohegan language
• Ehret, Christopher (USA), languages of Africa, historical linguistics
• Elgin, Suzette Haden (USA, 1936—), constructed languages, transformational grammar
• Elman, Jeffrey L. (USA), language processing, neurolinguistics
• Murray Barnson Emeneau (USA, 1904–2005), Dravidian languages, linguist areas
• Esenç, Tevfik (Turkey 1904–1992), Ubykh language
• Even-Shoshan, Abraham (Belarus/Israel, 1906–1984), Hebrew language, lexicography
• Everett, Daniel Leonard (USA, 1951—), languages of Brazil, Pirahã language
• Everson, Michael (USA/Ireland, 1963—), writing systems, computational linguistics

• Fillmore, Charles J. (USA, 1929—), syntax, lexical semantics, cognitive linguistics, lexicography
• Firth, John Rupert (UK, 1890–1960), phonetics, phonology, prosody
• Fiske, Willard (USA, 1831–1904), Northern European languages, Icelandic language
• Foley, William (Australia), Papuan languages, Austronesian languages
• Ford, Jeremiah Denis Mathias (USA, 1873–1958), Spanish language
• Fowler, Carol A. (USA), phonetics, phonology
• Freiman, Aleksandr Arnoldovich (Poland/Russia, 1879–1968), Iranian languages
• French, David Heath (USA, 1981–1994), Native American languages
• Friedrich, Johannes (Germany, 1893–1972), Hittite language
• Fromkin, Victoria (USA, 1923–2000), theoretical linguistics, constructed languages

• Galloway, Brent D. (USA, 1944—), Amerindian languages, Halkomelem language
• Gamkrelidze, Thomas V. (Georgia, 1929—), Indo-European studies, Georgian language
• Gans, Eric (USA, 1941—), origin of language
• Gazdar, Gerald (UK, 1950—), computational linguistics, syntax, semantics
• Gebauer, Jan (Czech Republic, 1838–1907), Czech language
• Geeraerts, Dirk (Belgium, 1955—), semantics, lexicography
• Givón, Talmy (Israel/USA, 1936—), syntax, semantics, pragmatics, typology, functionalism
• Giegerich, Heinz (Germany/UK), English language, phonology
• Gleason, Jean Berko (USA), psycholinguistics, language acquisition
• Goatly, Andrew (UK), English language, Chinese language
• Goddard, R.H. Ives, III (USA), Algonquian languages, historical linguistics
• Gode, Alexander (Germany/USA, 1906–1970), constructed languages, Germanic languages
• Goldberg, Adele (USA, 1963—), syntax, psycholinguistics
• Goldsmith, John Anton (USA, 1951—), phonology, computational linguistics
• Goldstein, Louis M. (USA), phonetics, phonology
• Gordon, Cyrus Herzl (USA, 1908–2001), ancient languages, cuneiform script
• Gray, Louis Herbert (USA, 1875–1955), Indo-Iranian languages, phonology
• Greenberg, Joseph Harold (USA, 1915–2001), typology, language universals, languages of Africa
• Grice, (Herbert) Paul (UK/USA, 1913–1988), pragmatics
• Grierson, George Abraham (Ireland, 1851–1941), languages of India
• Gries, Stefan Thomas (Germany/USA, 1970—), corpus linguistics, computational linguistics, cognitive linguistics, construction grammar
• Grimm, Jakob Ludwig Carl (Germany, 1785–1863), historical linguistics, comparative linguistics, German language
• Grinder, John Thomas (USA, 1940—), neurolinguistics
• Guisepi, Robert A. (USA, 1949—), ancient languages
• Gumperz, John Joseph (USA, 1922—), sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, linguistic anthropology
• Guy, Gregory (USA), sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, phonetics, phonology

• Haarmann, Harald (Germany, 1946—), evolutionary linguistics, language contact
• Haas, Mary Rosamund (USA, 1910–1996), Native American languages, Thai language, historical linguistics
• Hajič, Jan (Czech Republic), computational linguistics
• Hajičová, Eva (Czech Republic), (1935—), corpus linguistics
• Hale, Kenneth Locke (USA, 1934–2001), syntax, phonology
• Hall, Kira (USA), sociocultural linguistics
• Hall, Richard Michael Ryan (USA, 1927–1996), historical linguistics, Indo-European studies, Nilotic languages
• Hall, Robert A., Jr. (USA, 1911–1997), Romance languages, Pidgins and Creoles
• Halle, Morris (Latvia/USA, 1923—), phonology, morphology
• Halliday, Michael Alexander Kirkwood (UK/Australia, 1925—), systemic functional grammar, ecolinguistics
• Hammond, Michael (USA, 1957—), phonology, computational linguistics, syntax
• Hamp, Eric P. (USA, 1920—), Indo-European languages, Native American languages
• Harkavy, Alexander (Belarus/USA, 1863–1939), Yiddish language, lexicography
• Harley, Heidi B. (USA, 1969—), distributed morphology, syntax
• Harrington, John Peabody (USA, 1884–1961), Native American languages, phonetics
• Harris, Roy (UK, 1931—), semiology, integrational linguistics
• Harris, Zellig Sabbetai (Ukraine/USA, 1909–1992), structural linguistics, discourse analysis, Semitic languages
• Hashimoto Shinkichi (Japan, 1882–1945), Old Japanese language, Japanese language
• Haugen, Einar Ingvald (USA, 1906–1994), sociolinguistics, Old Norse
• Hawkins, Bruce Wayne (USA), cognitive linguistics
• Hayakawa, Samuel Ichiye (Canada/USA, 1906–1992), semantics
• Hayes, Bruce (USA), phonology
• Heath, Jeffrey (USA), historical linguistics, morphology, linguistic anthropology
• Heim, Irene Roswitha (Germany/USA), semantics
• Heine, Bernd (Germany, 1939—), languages of Africa, sociolinguistics, language contact
• Hetzron, Robert (Hungary/USA, 1937–1997), Afro-Asiatic languages
• Hewitt, John Napoleon Brinton (USA, 1859–1937), Iroquoian languages
• Hjelmslev, Louis (Denmark, 1899–1965), comparative linguistics, semantics
• Hobbs, Jerry R. (United States, 1942—), computational linguistics, discourse analysis, syntax, semantics
• Hock, Hans Henrich (Germany/USA), historical linguistics, comparative linguistics, Sanskrit
• Hepburn, James Curtis (USA, 1815–1911), Japanese language, lexicography
• Hockett, Charles Francis (USA, 1916–2000), phonology, morphology
• Hoffmann, John-Baptist (Germany, 1857–1928), Mundari language
• Hoijer, Harry (USA, 1904–1976), Athabaskan languages, Tonkawa language
• Hopper, Paul (UK/USA), historical linguistics,
• Hook, Peter Edwin (USA), Indo-Aryan languages, typology
• Hornstein, Norbert (USA), syntax
• Hrozný, Bedřich (Czech Republic, 1879–1952), Hittite language, ancient languages
• von Humboldt, Wilhelm (Germany, 1787–1835), Basque language
• Huddleston, Rodney D. (UK/Australia), English language
• Hudson, Richard (UK, 1939—), syntax, word grammar
• Hupel, August Wilhelm (Germany/Estonia, 1737–1819), Estonian language, lexicography
• Hyman, Larry M. (USA, 1947—), phonology, languages of Africa
• Hymes, Dell Hathaway (USA, 1927—), sociolinguistics, Kathlamet language

• Illich-Svitych, Vladislav Markovich (Ukraine/Russia, 1934–1966), comparative linguistics, Nostratic languages
• Ivanov, Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich (Russia, 1929—), Indo-European studies
• Ivić, Pavle (Serbia, 1924–1999), South Slavic languages, phonology, Serbocroatian language

• Jackendoff, Ray (USA, 1945—), syntax, lexical semantics
• Jackson, Abraham Valentine Williams (USA, 1862–1937), Indo-Iranian languages, Avestan language
• Jackson, Kenneth Hurlstone (UK, 1909–1991), Brythonic languages, Gaelic languages
• Jagić, Vatroslav (Croatia, 1838–1923), Croatian language, Slavic languages
• Jakobson, Roman Osipovich (Russia/Czech Republic/USA, 1896–1982), structuralism, phonology
• Jarring, Gunnar (Sweden, 1907–2002), Turkic languages
• Jaunius, Kazimieras (Lithuania, 1848–1908), Lithuanian language, comparative linguistics
• Jendraschek, Gerd (Germany), Basque language, Turkish language, Iatmul language
• Jespersen, Otto (Denmark, 1860–1943), English language, phonetics, constructed languages
• Johnson, David E. (USA, 1946—), syntax
• Jones, Daniel (UK, 1881–1967), phonetics
• Jones, Sir William (UK, 1746–1794), Indo-European studies, Sanskrit, comparative linguistics
• Joshi, Aravind Krishana (India/USA, 1929—), computational linguistics
• Jurafsky, Daniel (USA), computational linguistics

• Kaplan, Ronald M. (USA), computational linguistics
• Karadžić, Vuk Stefanović (Serbia, 1787–1864), Serbian language, lexicography
• Kari, James (USA), Native American languages
• Kasravi, Ahmad (Iran, 1890–1946), ancient languages, Iranian languages
• Katz, Jerrold J. (USA, 1932–2002), semantics, generative grammar
• Kaufman, Terrence (USA), historical linguistics, contact linguistics, Mesoamerican languages
• Kay, Martin (UK, USA), computational linguistics
• Kay, Paul (USA), construction grammar
• Kayne, Richard (USA), syntax, transformational grammar
• Keating, Patricia (USA), phonetics
• Keenan, Edward (USA), typology, semantics, Malagasy language
• Kenyon, John Samuel (USA, 1874–1959), English language, lexicography, phonology
• Keyser, Samuel Jay (USA, 1935—), phonology, English language
• Kinkade, M. Dale (USA, 1933–2004), Salishan languages
• Kiparsky, Paul (Finland/USA, 1941—), phonology, morphology
• Knechtges, David R. (USA), East Asian languages, Chinese language
• Knorosov, Yuri Valentinovich (Russia, 1922–1999), Maya hieroglyphics, writing systems
• Kober, Alice (UK/USA, 1906–1950), Linear B
• van de Koot, Hans (UK), syntax
• Kornai András (Hungary/USA, 1957—), mathematical linguistics, phonology, morphology, Hungarian language, syntax
• Koster, Jan (Netherlands, 1945—), generative grammar
• Krashen, Stephen (USA, 1941—), second language acquisition
• Kratzer, Angelika (USA/Germany), semantics
• Krauss, Michael E. (USA, 1941—), Native American languages
• Krishnamurti, Bhadriraju (India, 1929—), Dravidian languages
• Kroeber, Alfred Louis (USA, 1876–1960), Native American languages
• Kucera, Henry (Czech Republic/USA, 1925—), computational linguistics
• Kuno Susumu (Japan/USA, 1933—), Dravidian languages, Japanese language, syntax
• Kurath, Hans (Austria/USA, 1891–1992), English language, lexicography, dialectology
• Kuryłowicz, Jerzy (Poland, 1895–1978), Indo-European languages, syntax, morphology

• Labov, William (USA, 1927—), sociolinguistics, phonology, English language
• Ladefoged, Peter Nielsen (UK/USA, 1925–2006), phonetics, endangered languages
• Lakoff, George P. (USA, 1941—), cognitive linguistics, transformational grammar, generative semantics, syntax
• Lakoff, Robin Tolmach (USA, 1942—), sociolinguistics
• Lamb, Sydney MacDonald (USA, 1929—), stratificational grammar, Native American languages, historical linguistics, computational linguistics
• Lambdin, Thomas Oden (USA), Semitic languages, Egyptian language
• Langacker, Ronald W. (USA, 1942—), cognitive linguistics
• Lasersohn, Peter (USA), semantics
• Lasnik, Howard (USA, 1945—), syntax
• Lawler, John (USA), syntax, semantics, computational linguistics
• Laycock, Donald (Australia, —1988), languages of Papua New Guinea
• Lees, Robert (USA, 1922–1996), machine translation
• Lehmann, Winfred P. (USA, 1916–2007), historical linguistics, Proto-Indo-European language
• Lepsius, Karl Richard (Germany, 1810–1884), Egyptian language, Nubian languages, phonology
• Levinson, Stephen C. (UK/Netherlands), pragmatics
• Levstik, Fran (Slovenia, 1831–1881), Slovenian language
• Li Fanggui (PR China/USA, 1902–1987), Mattole language, Tai languages, Old Chinese, Tibetan language
• Liberman, Alvin Meyer (USA, 1917–2000), speech perception, phonology
• Liberman, Anatoly (Russia/USA), etymology, Germanic languages
• Liberman, Mark (USA), phonetics, prosody
• Lieber, Rochelle (USA, 1954—), morphology, syntax, lexical semantics
• Lieberman, Philip (USA, phonetics, language evolution
• Lisker, Leigh (USA, 1918–2006), phonetics, Dravidian languages
• Local, John (UK, 1947—), phonetics, phonology, conversation analysis
• Lounsbury, Floyd Glenn (USA, 1914–1998), Native American languages, Mayan languages
• Lowman, Guy Sumner, Jr. (USA, 1909–1941), phonetics
• Ludlow, Peter (USA, 1957—), syntax, semantics
• Lukoff, Fred (USA, 1920–2000), Korean language, phonology
• Lunde, Ken (USA, 1965—), East Asian languages

• MacWhinney, Brian (USA, 1945—), language acquisition
• Maddieson, Ian (USA), phonetics
• Marantz, Alec (USA), distributed morphology
• March, Francis Andrew (USA, 1825–1911), comparative linguistics, lexicography, Old English language, English language
• Margolis, Max Leopold (Lithuania/USA, 1866–1932), Semitic languages
• Marr, Nikolay Yakovlevich (Georgia/Russia, 1865–1934), historical linguistics, comparative linguistics, origin of language
• Martin, Samuel Elmo (USA, 1924—), Korean language, Japanese language
• Martinet, André (France, 1908–1999), structuralism, historical linguistics, constructed languages
• Martinet, Jeanne (France, 1920—), semiotics, constructed languages
• Massey, Keith (USA, 1966—), Semitic languages, Decipherment
• Massey, Kevin (USA, 1966—), Semitic languages, Decipherment
• Mathesius, Vilém (Czech Republic, 1882–1945), phonology, syntax, English language, Czech language
• Matisoff, James A. (USA, 1937—), Tibeto-Burman languages, phonology
• Matthews, Peter Hugoe (UK, 1934—), morphology, syntax
• Matthews, Stephen (UK/PR China), typology, syntax, semantics, Cantonese language
• Mattingly, Ignatius G. (USA, 1927–2004), phonetics, speech synthesis, speech perception
• McCarthy, John J. (USA, 1953—), phonology, morphology, optimality theory
• McCawley, James D. (UK/USA, 1938–1999), syntax, semantics, phonology
• McCune, George McAfee (North Korea/USA, 1908–1988), Korean language
• McNamara, Barbara (USA), Chinese language
• McWhorter, John Hamilton (USA, 1965—), creole languages, Saramaccan language
• Meinhof, Carl Friedrich Michael (Germany, 1857–1944), languages of Africa
• Melchert, H. Craig (USA), Anatolian languages
• Michaelis, Laura A. (USA), syntax, English language
• Miklošič, Franc (Slovenia/Austria, 1813–1891), Slavic languages
• Miller, Roy Andrew (USA, 1924—), Tibetan language
• Mithun, Marianne (USA, 1946—), Native American languages
• Miura Tsutomu (Japan, 1911–1989), Japanese language
• Mönkh-Amgalan, Yümjiriin (Mongolia), pragmatics, semantics, syntax, Mongolian language, dialectology
• Montague, Richard Merett (USA, 1930–1971), semantics, philosophy of language
• Moser, Edward W. (USA), Seri language
• Mufwene, Salikoko (USA), creole languages, African American Vernacular English, language evolution
• Munro, Pamela (USA), Native American languages, lexicography
• Murray, James (UK, 1837–1915), lexicography, English language, etymology

• Mira Nábělková (Slovakia), lexical semantics, sociolinguistics
• Nádasdy Ádám (Hungary), phonology, morphophonology
• Napoli, Donna Jo (USA), 1948—), syntax, phonetics, phonology, Japanese language
• Neeleman, Ad (Netherlands/UK, 1964—), syntax, semantics, phonology, generative grammar
• Nelson, Andrew Nathaniel (USA, 1893–1975), Japanese language, lexicography
• Nevins, Andrew I. (USA), phonology, morphology
• Newmeyer, Frederick J. (USA, 1944—), syntax, origin of language
• Nichols, Johanna (USA), languages of the Caucasus, Chechen language, Ingush language, typology
• Nissenbaum, Jonathan (Canada), syntax, semantics
• Nolan, Francis (UK), phonetics
• Nunberg, Geoffrey (USA), lexical semantics, English language

• Odden, David A. (USA), phonology, African linguistics, Bantu languages
• Ohala, John (USA), phonetics, phonology
• Okrand, Marc (USA), Klingon language, Native American language, constructed languages
• Orešnik, Janez (Slovenia, 1935—), comparative linguistics
• Orton, Harold (UK, 1898–1975), phonology, dialectology, English dialects
• Osthoff, Hermann (Germany, 1847–1909), Indo-European studies, historical linguistics

• Pāṇini (India, ca. 520–460 BC), Sanskrit, morphology, descriptive linguistics, generative linguistics
• Partee, Barbara Hall (USA, 1940—), semantics
• Paul, Hermann Otto Theodor (Germany, 1846–1921), lexicography, German language
• Pawley, Andrew Kenneth (Australia/New Zealand, 1941), Austronesian languages, Papuan languages, lexicography, phraseology
• Pedersen, Holger (Denmark, 1867–1953), Celtic languages, historical linguistics, Nostratic languages
• Pei, Mario Andrew (Italy/USA, 1901–1978), Italian language, Indo-European languages
• Pesetsky, David Michael (USA, 1957—), transformational grammar
• Phillipson, Robert (UK/Denmark, 1942—), language policy
• Pierrehumbert, Janet (USA, phonetics, phonology
• Pike, Kenneth Lee (USA, 1912–2000), English language, constructed languages, tagmemics
• Pimsleur, Paul (USA), language acquisition, French language, phonetics
• Pinker, Steven (Canada/USA, 1954—), language acquisition, semantics, cognitive linguistics
• Pollard, Carl Jesse (USA, 1947—), syntax, semantics
• Pollock, Jean-Yves (France), syntax
• Postal, Paul M. (USA, 1936—), syntax, semantics
• Primer, Sylvester (USA, 1842–1912), English language, dialectology, phonetics, Germanic languages
• Prince, Alan Sanford (USA, 1946—), optimality theory, phonology
• Pulgram, Ernst (Austria/USA, 1915–2005), Romance languages, Italic languages
• Pullum, Geoffrey K. (UK/USA, 1945—), syntax, English language
• Pustejovsky, James D. (USA), natural language processing, computational linguistics, semantics

• Quirk, Charles Randolph (UK/Germany, 1920—), English language

• Rael, Juan Bautista (USA, 1900–1993), phonology, morphology, New Mexican Spanish
• Rask, Rasmus Christian (Denmark, 1787–1832), lexicography, comparative linguistics, Indo-European language
• Read, Allen Walker (USA, 1906—2002), etymology, lexicography, English language
• Reinhart, Tanya (Israel, 1943–2007), syntax
• Rickford, John Russell (USA), sociolinguistics, African American Vernacular English
• Rizzi, Luigi (Italy, 1952—), syntax, language acquisition
• Roberts, Ian G. (UK, 1957—), syntax
• Rock, Joseph Francis Charles (Austria/USA/PR China, 1984–1962), Naxi language, lexicography
• Ross, John Robert (USA, 1938—), semantics, syntax
• Ross, Malcolm David (Australia, 1942—), Austronesian languages, Papuan languages, historical linguistics, language contact
• Rubach, Jerzy (Poland/USA, 1948—), phonology, Polish language
• Rubin, Philip E. (USA, 1949—), articulatory synthesis, phonology
• Ruhlen, Merritt (USA), typology, historical linguistics

• Sacks, Harvey (USA, 1935–1975), conversation analysis
• Sadock, Jerrold (USA), syntax, morphology, pragmatics, Greenlandic language, Yiddish language
• Sag, Ivan (USA, 1949—), syntax, construction grammar
• Salo, David (USA, 1969—), constructed languages, Tocharian languages, Elvish languages
• Sampson, Geoffrey (UK, 1944—), philosophy of language
• Sapir, Edward (Germany/USA, 1884–1939), Native American languages, constructed languages, semantics
• Saunders, Irene (USA/PR China), lexicography, Chinese language
• de Saussure, Ferdinand (Switzerland/France, 1857–1913), semantics, Indo-European studies, structural linguistics
• Sayce, Archibald Henry (UK, 1846–1933), Akkadian language
• Schiller, Eric (USA, 1955), Khmer language
• Schleicher, August (Germany, 1821–1868), Indo-European studies, language development, historical linguistics
• Schmidt, Johannes (Germany, 1843–1901), historical linguistics, Indo-European studies
• Schmidt, Wilhelm (Germany/Austria/Switzerland, 1868–1954), Mon-Khmer languages
• Schwarzschild, Roger (USA), semantics, pragmatics
• Searle, John Rogers (USA, 1932—), philosophy of language, pragmatics
• Sen, Sukumar (India, 1900–1992), Bengali language
• Sequoyah (USA, 1767–1843), Cherokee language
• Setälä, Eemil Nestor (Finland, 1864–1935), Finnish language
• Sgall, Petr (Czech republic, 1926—), syntax
• Shackle, Christopher (UK, 1942—), Urdu language, Punjabi language
• Shepard-Kegl, Judy (USA), Nicaraguan Sign Language
• Shevoroshkin, Vitaly Victorovich (Russia/USA), Anatolian languages, Slavic languages
• Sibawayh (Iran, ca. 760–796), Arabic language
• Sievers, Eduard (Germany, 1850–1932), Germanic languages, historical linguistics
• Sihler, Andrew Littleton (USA, 1941), comparative linguistics, Indo-European languages
• Skinner, B.F. (USA, 1905–1992), Verbal behavior
• Skousen, Royal (United States, 1945—), language modeling
• Smith, Neilson Voyne (UK, 1939—), syntax, language acquisition
• Smolensky, Paul (USA, 1955—), phonology, optimality theory, syntax
• Snyder, William Brandon (USA), language acquisition
• Starostin, Sergei Anatolyevich (Russia, 1953–2005), historical linguistics, comparative linguistics
• Steels, Luc (Belgium), computational linguistics, evolutionary linguistics
• Stetson, Raymond Herbert (USA, —1950), phonetics
• Stieber, Zdzisław (Poland, 1903–1980), Slavic languages, phonology
• Suzuki Takao (Japan, 1926—), Japanese language, sociolinguistics
• Swadesh, Morris (USA, 1909–1967), typology, historical linguistics, Native American languages, lexicostatistics
• Sweet, Henry (UK, 1845–1912), Germanic languages, phonetics
• Sweetser, Eve (USA), cognitive linguistics, semantics, historical linguistics, Celtic languages

• Talmy, Leonard (USA), cognitive linguistics, semantics, Yiddish language, Native American languages
• Tannen, Deborah Frances (USA, 1945—), discourse analysis
• Teeter, Karl van Duyn (USA, 1929–2007), Algic languages, endangered languages
• Thomas, Calvin (USA, 1854–1919), Germanic languages, German language
• Thomason, Sarah Grey (USA), language contact, historical linguistics, typology, Montana Salish
• Thompson, John Eric Sidney (UK, 1898–1975), Maya languages, Maya hieroglyphics
• Tokieda Motoki (Japan, 1900–1967), Japanese language
• Tolkien, John Ronal Reuel (UK, 1892–1973), Old English language, constructed languages, Sindarin, Quenya
• Toporišič, Jože (Slovenia, 1926—), Slovenian language
• Trager, George Leonard (USA, 1906–1992), semantics
• Trask, Robert Lawrence (USA, 1944–2004), Basque language, historical linguistics, origin of language
• Trubetzkoy, Nikolai Sergeyevich (Russia/Austria, 1890–1938), structural linguistics, morphology, phonology
• Trudgill, Peter (UK, 1943—), sociolinguistics, English language, dialectology
• Turner, Mark (USA), cognitive linguistics

• Ullendorff, Edward (UK, 1920—), Semitic languages
• Unger, James Marshall (USA, 1947—), Japanese language, historical linguistics, writing systems
• Upton (UK), English language, sociolinguistics, dialectology

• van Valin, Robert D. (USA, 1952—), syntax, semantics, cognitive linguistics
• Valli, Clayton (USA, —2003), American Sign Language,
• Vasmer, Max (Russia/Germany, 1886–1962), etymology, historical linguistics, Russian language
• Vaux, Bert (USA, 1968—), phonology, morphology, Armenian language
• Veltman, Calvin (USA/Canada/France), sociolinguistics
• Ventris, Michael George Francis (UK, 1922–1956), Linear B
• Verner, Karl (Denmark, 1846–1896), phonology, comparative linguistics, historical linguistics, Indo-European studies
• Voloshinov, Valentin Nikolaevich (Russia, 1895–1936), semantics
• Vovin, Alexander (Russia/USA), Japanese language, languages of Siberia

• Wackernagel, Jacob (Switzerland, 1853–1938), Indo-European studies, Sanskrit
• Watkins, Calvert (USA), comparative linguistics, Indo-European languages
• Weeks, Raymond (USA, 1863–1954), phonetics, French language
• Weinreich, Max (Latvia/USA, 1893–1969), Yiddish language
• Weinreich, Uriel (Poland/USA, 1926–1967), sociolinguistics, dialectology, semantics, Yiddish language
• Wells, John Christopher (UK, 1939—), phonetics, Esperanto,
• Westermann, Diedrich Hermann (Germany, 1875–1956), languages of Africa, typology
• Westphal, Ernst Oswald Johannes (South Africa/UK, 1919–1990), Bantu languages, Khoisan languages
• Whalen, Douglas H. (USA), phonology, endangered languages
• Wheeler, Benjamin Ide (United States, 1954–1927), historical linguistics, comparative linguistics, Greek language
• White, Lydia (United Kingdom/Canada), second language acquisition
• Whitney, William Dwight (USA, 1827–1894), lexicography, Sanskrit, English language
• Whorf, Benjamin Lee (USA, 1897–1941), Native American languages, Maya script
• Wichmann, Søren (Denmark, 1964—), Mesoamerican languages, Mixe-Zoque languages, Mayan languages, Maya script
• Widdowson, Henry G. (UK), English language, discourse analysis
• Wierzbicka, Anna (Poland/Australia, 1938—), semantics, pragmatics
• Williams, Nicholas Jonathan Anselm (UK/Ireland, 1942—), Cornish language, Irish language, Manx language, phonology,
• Williams, Samuel Wells (USA/China, 1812–1884), Chinese language, lexicography
• Wilson, Robert Dick (USA, 1856–1930), comparative linguistics, Hebrew language, Syriac language
• Wittmann, Henri (France/Canada, 1937—), French language, morphology, comparative linguistics
• Wolvengrey, Arok (Canada), Cree language, syntax, Native American languages, lexicography
• Wurm, Stephen Adolphe (Hungary/Australia, 1922–2001), Australian Aboriginal languages, Papuan languages

• Yamada Yoshio (Japan, 1873—1958), Japanese language
• Yiakoumetti, Androula (Cyprus), Greek language, dialectology
• Yngve, Victor (USA, 1920—), computational linguistics, natural language processing
• Young, Robert W. (USA, 1912–2007), Navajo language, lexicography

• Zamenhof, Ludvic Lazarus (Poland, 1859–1917), Esperanto
• Zepeda, Ofelia (USA, 1952—), O'odham language
• Zuckermann, Ghil'ad (Israel/UK/Australia), Semitic languages, Indo-European languages, phonetics, semantics
• Zwicky, Arnold, (USA, 1940—), syntax, morphology