Dr. Benjamin Fortson

Biography

Benjamin Fortson is a Professor in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Michigan. His primary research focuses on the comparative linguistic study of the Indo-European language family, with a particular emphasis on the Italic, Greek, Indo-Iranian, Anatolian, and Germanic branches. His work often includes side interests in comparative Indo-European metrics, poetics, and culture. Fortson has developed research methodologies that explore historical linguistics, especially the mechanisms of phonological and morphological change. He has served as an etymologist and Senior Lexicographer for the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, while also continuing to engage in lexicographic work. His notable publications include 'Indo-European Language and Culture: Introduction', and various studies in prestigious journals concerning historical linguistics and comparative philology. With degrees from Yale University and Harvard University, Fortson's academic contributions are widely recognized in linguistic scholarship.

Research Interests