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Edition 52 (2015) Winner
Peter Eisenberg
ペーター・アイゼンベルク
Peter Eisenberg
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1940-05-18 （Strausberg, Germany）
- Died
- 2025-09-27 （Berlin (Spandau), Germany） age 85
- Nationality
- Germany
- Languages
- German
- Religion
- Protestant (Evangelical)
- Residence History
- Kommunität Imshausen (Hesse, Germany) → Kassel, Germany → Berlin, Germany → Hanover, Germany → Potsdam, Germany
Career
- Occupations
- linguist, university professor, researcher
- Active Years
- 1968-2025
- Affiliations
- University of Potsdam, Free University of Berlin, Leibniz University Hannover, Various German language and research institutions, German research funding and advisory bodies (e.g. DFG panels)
- Memberships
- German Academy for Language and Literature, German Linguistic Society (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprachwissenschaft), Panel member, German Research Foundation (DFG)
- Influenced By
- Noam Chomsky, Morris Halle, Marvin Minsky, Joseph Weizenbaum, Helmut Schnelle
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin) | Faculty of Engineering (Telecommunications / Computer Science) | Telecommunications / Computer Science | Dipl.-Ing. | 1960s | Germany |
| Free University of Berlin (Freie Universität Berlin) | Faculty of Arts (German Studies / Linguistics) | Germanistics / Linguistics | Dr. phil. | 1970–1975 | Germany |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Linguistics (visiting scholar) | Linguistics | — | 1970–1971 | United States |
Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin)
Faculty of Engineering (Telecommunications / Computer Science)
/ Telecommunications / Computer Science
Degree:
Dipl.-Ing.
Period:
1960s
Year of Graduation:
1969
Country:
Germany
Completed engineering degree in telecommunications/computer science; studied linguistics in parallel.
Free University of Berlin (Freie Universität Berlin)
Faculty of Arts (German Studies / Linguistics)
/ Germanistics / Linguistics
Degree:
Dr. phil.
Period:
1970–1975
Year of Graduation:
1975
Country:
Germany
Received PhD in 1975; progressed from assistant posts to professorship.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Linguistics (visiting scholar)
/ Linguistics
Period:
1970–1971
Country:
United States
Visiting scholar (1970/71) supported by a VW scholarship; studied with Noam Chomsky and others.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Deutscher Sprachpreis | — | — | Henning-Kaufmann Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2007 | Honorary doctorate (University of Bamberg) | — | — | Otto-Friedrich University of Bamberg | 授与 |
| 2008 | Konrad Duden Prize | — | — | Konrad Duden Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2009 | Honorary doctorate (Roskilde University) | — | — | Roskilde University (Denmark) | 授与 |
| 2015 | Sigmund Freud Prize for Scientific Prose | — | — | German Academy for Language and Literature | 受賞 |
| 2019 | Jacob Grimm Prize (German Language) | — | — | Kulturpreis Deutsche Sprache | 受賞 |
Deutscher Sprachpreis
1996
Organization:
Henning-Kaufmann Foundation
Result:
受賞
Honorary doctorate (University of Bamberg)
2007
Organization:
Otto-Friedrich University of Bamberg
Result:
授与
Konrad Duden Prize
2008
Organization:
Konrad Duden Foundation
Result:
受賞
Honorary doctorate (Roskilde University)
2009
Organization:
Roskilde University (Denmark)
Result:
授与
Sigmund Freud Prize for Scientific Prose
2015
Organization:
German Academy for Language and Literature
Result:
受賞
Jacob Grimm Prize (German Language)
2019
Organization:
Kulturpreis Deutsche Sprache
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Outline of German Grammar (Grundriß der deutschen Grammatik)
1986 academic / grammar 400 pagesA comprehensive university-level grammar of contemporary German covering morphology, syntax and semantics; established as a standard reference.
syntaxsemanticscontemporary German
Duden: Grammar of Contemporary German (6th edition, contribution/editing)
1998 editorial / reference 600 pagesServed as a principal editor for the revised Duden grammar (6th ed.), contributing significantly to the description and standardization of contemporary German.
descriptive linguisticslexicon and orthographylanguage standardization
Bibliography
- Oberflächenstruktur und logische Struktur. Studies on the syntax and semantics of German predicative adjectives. (1976)
- Outline of German Grammar. (1986; revised editions thereafter)
- Duden. Vol. 4: Grammar of Contemporary German (contributor/editor). (from 1998)
- The Loanword in German (Das Fremdwort im Deutschen). (2011; 3rd ed. 2018)
- German Orthography. Rules and Commentary. (2017)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- scholarly rigor combined with accessible proselogical and systematic exposition
- Recurring Motifs
- clarification and standardization of German grammarfocus on orthography and spellingbalance between descriptive and prescriptive approaches
Legacy
One of the leading scholars of contemporary German grammar; through textbooks and major contributions to the Duden he influenced both academia and public language policy. Actively engaged in debates on orthography reform.
Academic Societies
- German Academy for Language and Literature (Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung)
- German Linguistic Society (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprachwissenschaft)
Archives
- German National Library (catalogue of publications)
Quotes
-
The German language is part of our cultural heritage and should be treated with care.
Source: Interviews / essays (summary from multiple articles and lectures) (2017)
Trivia
- Spent much of his childhood in the Kommunität Imshausen children's home.
- Worked earlier as a Tonmeister (sound engineer) for Hessischer Rundfunk and the Freie Volksbühne.
- Was a visiting scholar at MIT in 1970/71 and studied with Noam Chomsky and Morris Halle.