Geoffrey Pullum
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Keith "Geoff" Pullum (icon; born March 8, 1945 in Irvine, Scotland) is a British-American linguist specialising in the study of English
. , he is Professor of General Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh
.
Pullum is a co-author of The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
(2002), a comprehensive descriptive grammar of English. He is also a regular contributor to Language Log
, a collaborative linguistics weblog.
, England, while very young. He left secondary school early at age 16, and he toured Germany as a pianist in the rock and roll band Sonny Stewart and the Dynamos. A year and a half later, he came back to England and joined a soul band, Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
.
After his band disbanded, Pullum enrolled in the University of York
in 1968, graduating in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts
with first class honours. In 1976 he completed a PhD
in Linguistics
at University College London
.
Pullum left Britain in 1980, taking visiting positions at the University of Washington
and Stanford University
. In 1987, he became a United States citizen
. He worked at the University of California, Santa Cruz
from 1981 to 2007.
In 2002, Pullum co-authored The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
with Rodney Huddleston
and other linguists, which won the Leonard Bloomfield Book Award
of the Linguistic Society of America
in 2004.
In 2007, he moved to the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh
, where he currently is Professor of General Linguistics and Head of Linguistics and English Language.
Pullum is also a frequent contributor to the blog Language Log
upon which he can often be found arguing for linguistic descriptivism.
An extensive list of linguistics-related publications by Pullum is available on his website.
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
. , he is Professor of General Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
.
Pullum is a co-author of The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language is a book that presents a comprehensive descriptive grammar of English. Its primary authors are Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum. It was published by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, in 2002.-Reviews:* Aarts, Bas. . Grammatici certant...
(2002), a comprehensive descriptive grammar of English. He is also a regular contributor to Language Log
Language Log
Language Log is a collaborative language blog maintained by University of Pennsylvania phonetician Mark Liberman.The site is updated daily at the whims of the contributors, and most of the posts are on language use in the media and popular culture. Google search results are frequently used as a...
, a collaborative linguistics weblog.
Biography
Geoffrey K. Pullum was born in Irvine, Scotland, on 8 March 1945, and moved to West WickhamWest Wickham
West Wickham is a place in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is 10.3 miles south east of Charing Cross. West Wickham history dates back to early settlements existing since 1068, although the name `Wickham` is an indication of an earlier Anglo-Saxon settlement...
, England, while very young. He left secondary school early at age 16, and he toured Germany as a pianist in the rock and roll band Sonny Stewart and the Dynamos. A year and a half later, he came back to England and joined a soul band, Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band were an English based soul band, active from 1965 to 1968.-Career:The Ram Jam Band were formed around 1964 and evolved out of a group called Les Blues who were formed to rival an English group with a Black American singer called Milton And The Continentals...
.
After his band disbanded, Pullum enrolled in the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
in 1968, graduating in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
with first class honours. In 1976 he completed a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
Pullum left Britain in 1980, taking visiting positions at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
and Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. In 1987, he became a United States citizen
Citizenship in the United States
Citizenship in the United States is a status given to individuals that entails specific rights, duties, privileges, and benefits between the United States and the individual...
. He worked at the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
from 1981 to 2007.
In 2002, Pullum co-authored The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language is a book that presents a comprehensive descriptive grammar of English. Its primary authors are Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum. It was published by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, in 2002.-Reviews:* Aarts, Bas. . Grammatici certant...
with Rodney Huddleston
Rodney Huddleston
Rodney D. Huddleston is a linguist and grammarian specializing in the study and description of English.Huddleston is the primary author of The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language , which presents a comprehensive descriptive grammar of English.He earned his PhD from the University of Edinburgh...
and other linguists, which won the Leonard Bloomfield Book Award
Leonard Bloomfield Book Award
The Leonard Bloomfield Book Award is presented by the Linguistic Society of America to the recently published book "which makes the most outstanding contribution to the development of our understanding of language and linguistics". From its establishment in 1992 through 2008 the award was made...
of the Linguistic Society of America
Linguistic Society of America
The Linguistic Society of America is a professional society for linguists. It was founded in 1924 to advance linguistics, the scientific study of human language. The LSA has over 5,000 individual members and welcomes linguists of all kinds. It works to advance the discipline and to communicate...
in 2004.
In 2007, he moved to the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, where he currently is Professor of General Linguistics and Head of Linguistics and English Language.
Pullum is also a frequent contributor to the blog Language Log
Language Log
Language Log is a collaborative language blog maintained by University of Pennsylvania phonetician Mark Liberman.The site is updated daily at the whims of the contributors, and most of the posts are on language use in the media and popular culture. Google search results are frequently used as a...
upon which he can often be found arguing for linguistic descriptivism.
Selected publications
- Gazdar, GeraldGerald GazdarGerald James Michael Gazdar is a linguist and computer scientist.He was educated at Bradfield College and subsequently graduated from the University of East Anglia with a BA in 1970, and from the University of Reading where he completed his master's degree in 1972 and his PhD in 1976...
; Klein, Ewan; Pullum, Geoffrey K.; and Sag, Ivan A.Ivan SagIvan Sag is an American linguist and cognitive scientist. He is the Sadie Dernham Patek Professor in Humanities, Professor of Linguistics, and Director of the Symbolic Systems Program at Stanford University...
(1985). Generalized Phrase Structure Grammar. Basil Blackwell, Oxford. ISBN 0-631-13206-6 - Pullum, Geoffrey K. (1991). The Great Eskimo Vocabulary Hoax and Other Irreverent Essays on the Study of Language, University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-68534-9. (See also Eskimo words for snowEskimo words for snowThe "Eskimo words for snow" claim is a widespread misconception alleging that Eskimos have an unusually large number of words for snow. In fact, the Eskimo–Aleut languages have about the same number of distinct word roots referring to snow as English does...
) - Pullum, Geoffrey K. and Ladusaw, William A. (1996). Phonetic Symbol Guide, University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-68535-7
- Huddleston, Rodney D.Rodney HuddlestonRodney D. Huddleston is a linguist and grammarian specializing in the study and description of English.Huddleston is the primary author of The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language , which presents a comprehensive descriptive grammar of English.He earned his PhD from the University of Edinburgh...
and Pullum, Geoffrey K. (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-43146-8 - Huddleston, Rodney D.Rodney HuddlestonRodney D. Huddleston is a linguist and grammarian specializing in the study and description of English.Huddleston is the primary author of The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language , which presents a comprehensive descriptive grammar of English.He earned his PhD from the University of Edinburgh...
and Pullum, Geoffrey K. (2005). A Student's Introduction to English Grammar, Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-61288-8 - Liberman, MarkMark LibermanMark Liberman is an American linguist. He has a dual appointment at the University of Pennsylvania, as Trustee Professor of Phonetics in the Department of Linguistics, and as a professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences. He is the founder and director of the Linguistic Data...
and Pullum, Geoffrey K. (2006). Far from the Madding Gerund and Other Dispatches from the Language Log, William, James & Company. ISBN 1-59028-055-5
An extensive list of linguistics-related publications by Pullum is available on his website.