Tamaz Gamkrelidze, famous Georgian linguist and orientalist, doctor of philosophy, professor, academician of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was born in Kutaisi on October 23, 1929.
In 1952 Tamaz Gamkrelidze graduated with honors from the Department of Semiotic Studies of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the Tbilisi State University. In 1953-1960, he served as a research fellow at the Institute of Linguistics of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, in 1960-1973 – as a senior research fellow at the G. Tsereteli Institute of Oriental Studies of the Georgian Academy of Sciences and from 1973 - as the director of the G. Tsereteli Institute of Oriental Studies. From 1960, Tamaz Gamkrelidze was engaged in scientific-pedagogical activities at the Tbilisi State University and served as the head of the Department of Structural and Applied Linguistics. At present, he is the head of the Department of General and Applied Linguistics.
Academician Tamaz Gamkrelidze focuses on the research areas of theoretical and comparative linguistics, semiotics (theory of signs), cultural studies and written language. He studies the structural and historical issues of ancient oriental languages, Indo-European, Semitic and Georgian languages; moreover, he is the author of up to 200 scientific works, many of which have been issued in prestigious international scientific publications. In addition, Tamaz Gamkrelidze had been the chief editor of a scientific-academic journal “Issues of Linguistics” for many years.
Tamaz Gamkrelidze systematically takes part in international scientific conferences and symposiums, delivers lectures and speeches at various foreign universities.
Tamaz Gamklelidze has been elected a foreign honorary member of the British, Austrian, Saxon Academies of Sciences, as well as American Academy of Arts and Sciences; moreover, he is an honorary member of the Linguistic Society of America, as well as member and the President of the European Society of Linguistics in 1986-1987; simultaneously, Gamkrelidze is an honorary doctor of the universities of Chicago and Bonn.
In August 1991 Tamaz Gamkrelidze was appointed the Rector of the Tbilisi State University, though he performed his duties for a short period of time.
Tamaz Gamkrelidze has received a number of prizes, among them Lenin Prize, Humboldt Prize (also known as Humboldt Research Award) and Ivane Javakhishvili Prize for his scientific-pedagogic and social-political activities.
In 1952 Tamaz Gamkrelidze graduated with honors from the Department of Semiotic Studies of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the Tbilisi State University. In 1953-1960, he served as a research fellow at the Institute of Linguistics of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, in 1960-1973 – as a senior research fellow at the G. Tsereteli Institute of Oriental Studies of the Georgian Academy of Sciences and from 1973 - as the director of the G. Tsereteli Institute of Oriental Studies. From 1960, Tamaz Gamkrelidze was engaged in scientific-pedagogical activities at the Tbilisi State University and served as the head of the Department of Structural and Applied Linguistics. At present, he is the head of the Department of General and Applied Linguistics.
Academician Tamaz Gamkrelidze focuses on the research areas of theoretical and comparative linguistics, semiotics (theory of signs), cultural studies and written language. He studies the structural and historical issues of ancient oriental languages, Indo-European, Semitic and Georgian languages; moreover, he is the author of up to 200 scientific works, many of which have been issued in prestigious international scientific publications. In addition, Tamaz Gamkrelidze had been the chief editor of a scientific-academic journal “Issues of Linguistics” for many years.
Tamaz Gamkrelidze systematically takes part in international scientific conferences and symposiums, delivers lectures and speeches at various foreign universities.
Tamaz Gamklelidze has been elected a foreign honorary member of the British, Austrian, Saxon Academies of Sciences, as well as American Academy of Arts and Sciences; moreover, he is an honorary member of the Linguistic Society of America, as well as member and the President of the European Society of Linguistics in 1986-1987; simultaneously, Gamkrelidze is an honorary doctor of the universities of Chicago and Bonn.
In August 1991 Tamaz Gamkrelidze was appointed the Rector of the Tbilisi State University, though he performed his duties for a short period of time.
Tamaz Gamkrelidze has received a number of prizes, among them Lenin Prize, Humboldt Prize (also known as Humboldt Research Award) and Ivane Javakhishvili Prize for his scientific-pedagogic and social-political activities.