Peter Alexander, known in academic circles as Peter Arkadiev, is a distinguished principal investigator currently spearheading the project “Typology and diachrony of ambifixation”. This ambitious research, funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, spans from December 2024 to November 2027 and delves into the fascinating area of linguistic typology. Alexander’s work is highly regarded in the field of Slavic linguistics and beyond.
Academic Journey and Expertise of Peter Alexander
Alexander’s profound expertise is built upon a solid foundation of education and extensive professional experience. His academic journey is marked by significant achievements and contributions to the field of linguistics.
- Habilitation in Typological and Historical-Comparative Linguistics (2019): Peter Alexander earned his habilitation, a prestigious academic qualification, from the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. His habilitation thesis, titled “Areal typology of prefixal perfectivisation (on the material of the languages of Europe and the Caucasus)”, showcases his deep understanding of linguistic typology and areal linguistics.
- PhD in Typological and Historical-Comparative Linguistics (2006): He holds a PhD from the Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow. His doctoral research focused on the “Typology of two-term case systems”, under the supervision of prominent linguists Tatiana Nikolaeva and Vladimir Plungian. This early work established his expertise in case systems and typological analysis.
- Specialist (M.A.) in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics (2004): Alexander graduated cum laude with a Specialist degree (equivalent to M.A.) in theoretical and applied linguistics from the Institute of Linguistics, Russian State University for the Humanities. This comprehensive education provided him with a robust theoretical and practical grounding in the field.
Professional Roles and Affiliations of Peter Alexander
Throughout his career, Peter Alexander has held numerous prestigious research and academic positions across Europe, reflecting his international standing and collaborative spirit.
- Marie Curie Senior Fellow at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (2023–2024): Alexander was awarded the esteemed Marie Curie fellowship, enabling him to conduct advanced research at the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, further enhancing his international research profile.
- Researcher at Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz (2016–2017, 2023): He has contributed his expertise as a researcher at Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz on multiple occasions, engaging in collaborative projects and contributing to the university’s research environment.
- Researcher at University of Zürich (2022): Alexander’s research extended to the University of Zürich, where he undertook research activities, further expanding his network and contributing to linguistic research in Switzerland.
- Researcher at Vilnius University (2012–2016, 2018–2021): He maintained a long-term research association with Vilnius University, contributing to research initiatives and fostering academic collaborations in Lithuania.
- Professor and Assistant Professor at Russian State University for the Humanities (2008–2022): Peter Alexander dedicated many years to teaching and research at the Russian State University for the Humanities, progressing from assistant professor to professor at the Institute of Linguistics, Centre for Linguistic Typology.
- Researcher at Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2005–2022): His long tenure at the Institute of Slavic Studies, starting as a PhD student and advancing to senior researcher, demonstrates his commitment to Slavic linguistics and his growth as a leading scholar.
Recognition and Scholarly Contributions of Peter Alexander
Peter Alexander’s academic excellence is further highlighted by prestigious scholarships and distinctions, solidifying his reputation as a leading figure in linguistics.
- University of Cologne CRC 1252 “Prominence in Language” Senior Research Fellowship (2024): He was awarded a senior research fellowship by the DFG-funded CRC 1252 “Prominence in Language” at the University of Cologne, recognizing his significant contributions to the field.
- LabEx EFL Visiting Professorship (Paris, France, 2023): Alexander held a visiting professorship at LabEx EFL in Paris, demonstrating his international recognition and demand as a guest scholar.
- Member of Academia Europaea (2023): Election to Academia Europaea, a distinguished pan-European academy of science, is a testament to his outstanding scholarly achievements and impact on the field.
Selected Publications of Peter Alexander
Peter Alexander, a prolific scholar, has authored and co-authored numerous publications, including books, articles, and chapters in edited volumes. His research spans a wide range of topics within typology, morphology, and historical linguistics.
Books:
- Теоретическая грамматика японского языка [Theoretical Grammar of Japanese]. Vols. I–II. Moscow: Natalis, 2008 (with Vladimir Alpatov & Vera Podlesskaya).
- Ареальная типология префиксального перфектива (на материале языков Европы и Кавказа) [Areal Typology of Prefixal Perfectivisation (on the material of the languages of Europe and the Caucasus)]. Moscow: LRC Publishing, 2015.
Edited Volumes:
- The Oxford Handbook of Historical Morphology (with Franz Rainer, in preparation).
- Convergence and Divergence in the Eastern Circum-Baltic Area. Vols. I & II (with Björn Wiemer et al., in preparation).
- Studies in Baltic and other Languages. A Festschrift for Axel Holvoet on the occasion of his 65th birthday (with Jurgis Pakerys, Inesa Šeškauskienė & Vaiva Žeimantienė, 2021).
- Complexities in Morphology (with Francesco Gardani, 2020).
- Contemporary Approaches to Baltic Linguistics (with Axel Holvoet & Björn Wiemer, 2015).
- Borrowed Morphology (with Francesco Gardani & Nino Amiridze, 2015).
Selected Chapters in Edited Volumes:
- Applicative constructions in the Northwest Caucasian languages (with Yury Lander & Irina Bagirokova, 2024).
- Applicativizing preverbs in selected European languages (with Fernando Zúñiga & Veronika Hegedűs, 2024).
- Applicative functions of verbal prefixes (2023).
- Borrowing of morphology. With a case study of Baltic and Slavic verbal prefixes (with Kirill Kozhanov, 2023).
- Reflexive constructions in Abaza (with Sonia Durneva, 2023).
- Is Lithuanian a polysynthetic language? (2021).
- Perfect and negation: Evidence from Lithuanian and sundry languages (2021).
- Indirect antipassive in Circassian (with Alexander Letuchiy, 2021).
- The Northwest Caucasian languages (with Yury Lander, 2021).
- Morphology in typology: Historical retrospect, state of the art, and prospects (2020).
- Perfects in Baltic and Slavic (with Björn Wiemer, 2020).
- Morphological theory and typology (with Marian Klamer, 2019).
- Grammaticalization in the North Caucasian languages (with Timur Maisak, 2018).
- Introduction. Baltic linguistics: state of the art (with Axel Holvoet & Björn Wiemer, 2015).
- Lithuanian morphological causatives: A corpus-based study (with Jurgis Pakerys, 2015).
- Participial complementation in Lithuanian (2012).
- Poor (two-term) case systems: Limits of neutralization (2009).
- Thematic roles, event structure, and argument encoding in semantically aligned languages (2008).
Peter Alexander’s ongoing research and extensive publications continue to significantly contribute to the fields of typological, historical, and Slavic linguistics, marking him as a highly influential and respected scholar.
[Personal website: https://peterarkadiev.github.io/]
