This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2020) |
Sir John Lyons FBA (23 May 1932 – 12 March 2020) was a British linguist, working on semantics.
Sir John Lyons | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 23 May 1932 Stretford, Lancashire, England |
| Died | 12 March 2020 (aged 87) |
| Nationality | British |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | Christ's College, Cambridge |
| Thesis | A structural theory of semantics and its application to some lexical subsystems in the vocabulary of Plato (1960) |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Linguist |
| Institutions | SOAS Indiana University University of Edinburgh University of Sussex University of Cambridge |
| Main interests | Semantics |
Education
John Lyons was born and brought up in Stretford, Lancashire (now in Trafford). He was initially educated at St Ann's RC School, Stretford, before he won a scholarship to St Bede's College, Manchester, joining in September 1943. In July 1950, Lyons progressed to Christ's College, Cambridge, where he took a degree in Classics in 1953 and a Diploma in Education in 1954.
Life and career
After doing his national service in the navy for two years, studying Russian as a coder (special), and commissioned as a midshipman, he returned to Cambridge as a PhD student in 1956. His supervisor was W. Sidney Allen. The following year he was made a lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies. He was also awarded a one-year Rockefeller Scholarship to Yale, but declined for the more opportunistic academic position in linguistics that was rare in those days in Britain. Lyons moved from Cambridge to SOAS in London, where R. H. Robins was his PhD supervisor. In the summer of 1960, Lyons went to Indiana University to work in a machine translation project; he was chosen because of his expertise in Russian and linguistics. It was at Indiana, in a post-Bloomfieldean milieu, where Lyons gave courses on general linguistics.
In 1961, he returned to Christ's College, where he taught until 1964. Between 1965 and 1969, he was the founder editor of the Journal of Linguistics. From 1964 to 1984, he was professor of linguistics at the universities of Edinburgh and Sussex. He was master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge for 15 years, before retiring in 2000; he was an honorary fellow at the college.
Lyons' introductory texts are Introduction to Theoretical Linguistics, Chomsky, Semantics, and Linguistic Semantics.
He was the creator of a constructed language called Bongo-Bongo, which he created as a teaching tool for his linguistics students.
Upon retirement in 2000 he moved to France. He died on 12 March 2020.
Honours
He was knighted in 1987 "for services to the study of linguistics".
In 2016, he was awarded the Neil and Saras Smith Medal for Linguistics by the British Academy "for his outstanding lifetime contribution to the field of linguistics".
Selected works
- Structural Semantics (1963)
- Introduction to Theoretical Linguistics (1968)
- Noam Chomsky (Fontana Modern Masters, 1970)
- New Horizons in Linguistics (1970) (as editor)
- Semantics (1977)
- Language and Linguistics (1981)
- Language, Meaning and Context (1981)
- New Horizons in Linguistics 2 (1987) (as co-editor)
- (1991)
- Linguistic Semantics: An introduction (1995)
See also
- Bongo-Bongo
References
- New Horizons in Linguistics ed. Lyons, Pelican 1972 reprint ISBN 978-0-14-021223-5
- Murray, Neil (2012). Writing Essays in English Language and Linguistics: Principles, Tips and Strategies for Undergraduates. Cambridge University Press. p. 49. ISBN 9780521111195 – via Google Books.
- "Sir John Lyons 1932-2020". Trinity Hall Cambridge. 16 March 2020Z. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- Alatis, James E. (ed.). Georgetown University Round Table on Languages and Linguistics 1990 (PDF). p. 9.
- "British Academy announces 2016 prizes and medal winners". British Academy. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources John Lyons linguist news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2020 Learn how and when to remove this message Sir John Lyons FBA 23 May 1932 12 March 2020 was a British linguist working on semantics SirJohn LyonsFBABorn 1932 05 23 23 May 1932 Stretford Lancashire EnglandDied12 March 2020 2020 03 12 aged 87 NationalityBritishAcademic backgroundAlma materChrist s College CambridgeThesisA structural theory of semantics and its application to some lexical subsystems in the vocabulary of Plato 1960 Academic workDisciplineLinguistInstitutionsSOAS Indiana University University of Edinburgh University of Sussex University of CambridgeMain interestsSemanticsEducationJohn Lyons was born and brought up in Stretford Lancashire now in Trafford He was initially educated at St Ann s RC School Stretford before he won a scholarship to St Bede s College Manchester joining in September 1943 In July 1950 Lyons progressed to Christ s College Cambridge where he took a degree in Classics in 1953 and a Diploma in Education in 1954 Life and careerAfter doing his national service in the navy for two years studying Russian as a coder special and commissioned as a midshipman he returned to Cambridge as a PhD student in 1956 His supervisor was W Sidney Allen The following year he was made a lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies He was also awarded a one year Rockefeller Scholarship to Yale but declined for the more opportunistic academic position in linguistics that was rare in those days in Britain Lyons moved from Cambridge to SOAS in London where R H Robins was his PhD supervisor In the summer of 1960 Lyons went to Indiana University to work in a machine translation project he was chosen because of his expertise in Russian and linguistics It was at Indiana in a post Bloomfieldean milieu where Lyons gave courses on general linguistics In 1961 he returned to Christ s College where he taught until 1964 Between 1965 and 1969 he was the founder editor of the Journal of Linguistics From 1964 to 1984 he was professor of linguistics at the universities of Edinburgh and Sussex He was master of Trinity Hall Cambridge for 15 years before retiring in 2000 he was an honorary fellow at the college Lyons introductory texts are Introduction to Theoretical Linguistics Chomsky Semantics and Linguistic Semantics He was the creator of a constructed language called Bongo Bongo which he created as a teaching tool for his linguistics students Upon retirement in 2000 he moved to France He died on 12 March 2020 HonoursHe was knighted in 1987 for services to the study of linguistics In 2016 he was awarded the Neil and Saras Smith Medal for Linguistics by the British Academy for his outstanding lifetime contribution to the field of linguistics Selected worksStructural Semantics 1963 Introduction to Theoretical Linguistics 1968 Noam Chomsky Fontana Modern Masters 1970 New Horizons in Linguistics 1970 as editor Semantics 1977 Language and Linguistics 1981 Language Meaning and Context 1981 New Horizons in Linguistics 2 1987 as co editor 1991 Linguistic Semantics An introduction 1995 See alsoBongo BongoReferencesNew Horizons in Linguistics ed Lyons Pelican 1972 reprint ISBN 978 0 14 021223 5 Murray Neil 2012 Writing Essays in English Language and Linguistics Principles Tips and Strategies for Undergraduates Cambridge University Press p 49 ISBN 9780521111195 via Google Books Sir John Lyons 1932 2020 Trinity Hall Cambridge 16 March 2020Z Retrieved 16 March 2020 Alatis James E ed Georgetown University Round Table on Languages and Linguistics 1990 PDF p 9 British Academy announces 2016 prizes and medal winners British Academy 27 September 2016 Retrieved 23 July 2017 Academic officesPreceded byTheodore Morris Sugden Master of Trinity Hall Cambridge 1986 2000 Succeeded byPeter Clarke
