Mark Aronoff

A Canadian-American linguist of considerable repute, Mark Aronoff, born in January 1949, currently clocks in at 76 years of age. His origins trace back to Montreal, Québec, Canada, though he eventually acquired American citizenship, a common enough trajectory for those drawn to the academic gravitational pull of the States.

Academic Background

His academic journey began at McGill University, an institution in his native Canada, before he moved on to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) for his doctoral studies. There, he earned his Ph.D. in 1974, presenting a thesis intriguingly titled "Word-Structure." His Doctoral advisor was none other than the eminent Morris Halle, a figure whose influence on modern linguistics is, shall we say, non-trivial.

Academic Work

Aronoff has spent a significant portion of his career at Stony Brook University, where he currently holds the distinction of being a professor. For those curious enough to delve deeper into his professional existence, his official web presence can be found at linguistics.stonybrook.edu

Mark Aronoff (/ˈærənɒf/; born in January 1949) is a preeminent Canadian-American morphologist and a distinguished professor who has, for an impressive duration, called Stony Brook University his academic home. His contributions to the field of linguistics, particularly within the domain of morphology, are widely acknowledged, if that sort of thing matters to you.

His influence extends beyond the classroom and individual research. He served as the editor of Language, the flagship journal of the Linguistic Society of America, from 1995 to 2001, a period during which he presumably oversaw the meticulous sifting of countless submissions, deciding which ideas were worthy of print and which were, well, not. Following this, he ascended to the presidency of the Linguistic Society of America in 2005, a role that typically involves a good deal of administrative heavy lifting and polite smiles at conferences. His considerable academic standing is further underscored by his election as a fellow to both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, accolades that suggest a lifetime dedicated to intellectual pursuit, or at least a very good publicist.

Education and Academic Career

Born and subsequently raised in the Francophone province of Québec, Canada, Aronoff's foundational academic journey began in earnest at McGill University. He completed his undergraduate studies there, graduating in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics. This initial foray into the complexities of human language evidently proved insufficient, as he then pursued his Ph.D. in Linguistics at the esteemed M.I.T., successfully completing his doctoral work in 1974. His thesis, "Word-Structure," under the guidance of the legendary Morris Halle, delved into the fundamental principles governing how words are constructed, a topic central to the understanding of morphology. The influence of Generative Grammar was particularly strong at M.I.T. during this era, shaping much of Aronoff's early theoretical framework regarding word formation.

Upon the successful defense of his Ph.D., Aronoff made the rather pragmatic decision to accept a position as an assistant professor of linguistics at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He has, with a characteristic lack of pretense, referred to this as "the only real job I have had in my life," a statement that speaks volumes about the academic's often singular focus on their chosen field, perhaps to the exclusion of what others might consider "real" employment. His tenure at Stony Brook was marked by steady progression; he was promoted to the rank of Full Professor mere years after his initial appointment. Demonstrating an aptitude for both scholarship and administration, Aronoff took on the demanding role of Chair of the Department of Linguistics, a position he held for an impressive thirteen years, from 1980 to 1993, overseeing departmental operations and curriculum development.

Beyond his direct scholarly output and the often-thankless task of teaching, Aronoff has consistently demonstrated a robust commitment to professional service. This dedication manifested both within the confines of his university and, more broadly, across his academic discipline. From 1998 to 2010, he contributed to the broader administration of the State University of New York system, serving as Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education. This role involved a certain amount of navigating bureaucratic labyrinthine structures, ensuring the quality and integrity of undergraduate academic programs across multiple campuses.

Remarkably, this significant administrative undertaking at the university level overlapped with his tenure, from 1995 to 2001, as editor of Language. This journal is, for the uninitiated, the most prestigious peer-reviewed publication of the Linguistic Society of America. The responsibility of curating the leading edge of linguistic scholarship for six years is not a task for the faint of heart. Following this, he was elected to serve as president of the LSA in 2005, a capstone to a career rich in both academic rigor and professional leadership. Such a combination of roles underscores a deep engagement with the very infrastructure of his field.

Books (selected)

Aronoff's scholarly contributions are documented in a series of influential books that have shaped the discourse in morphology. These works are, for better or worse, essential reading for anyone attempting to understand the intricate construction of words.

• Aronoff, Mark; Fudeman, Kirsten (2011). What is Morphology? . Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1444351767. This collaborative effort serves as a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the field of morphology. It endeavors to define and explore the fundamental concepts, theories, and analytical methods used to study word structure, making it a standard text for students and a valuable reference for seasoned linguists. The title, What is Morphology?, is refreshingly direct, leaving no room for ambiguity about its purpose.

• Aronoff, Mark (1994). Morphology by Itself: Stems and Inflectional Classes . Boston: MIT Press. ISBN 0262510723. In this seminal work, Aronoff delves into the autonomous nature of morphology, arguing for its independence from other linguistic components like syntax and phonology. He meticulously examines the concepts of stems and inflectional classes, proposing that morphological rules operate within their own distinct system. This book significantly advanced the theoretical understanding of how words are formed and categorized, challenging previous assumptions about the interfaces between different levels of linguistic analysis.

• Aronoff, Mark (1976). Word Formation in Generative Grammar . Boston: MIT Press. ISBN 0262510170. Emerging from his doctoral research, this book is a foundational text in the study of word formation within the framework of generative grammar. Aronoff explores the processes by which new words are created and existing words are modified, proposing a set of rules and constraints that govern these operations. It laid much of the groundwork for subsequent research in morphology, particularly in its rigorous application of generative principles to the analysis of word structure and its rejection of earlier lexicalist approaches.

Personal Life

On a slightly less academic note, Aronoff is married to Donna Di Donato, who herself held a position of administrative responsibility as a former assistant provost for undergraduate academic affairs at Stony Brook. This suggests a shared environment, if not a shared burden, of university administration. From a previous marriage, he has three children, a detail that rounds out the portrait of a life lived, not just a career pursued.