Egbert Fortuin
Professor Russian Language and Linguistics
- Name
- Prof.dr. E.L.J. Fortuin
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 2075
- e.fortuin@hum.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0002-1910-3064
Egbert Fortuin is Professor Russian Language and Linguistics.
Egbert Fortuin was Vice Dean of the Faculty of Humanities from 2015 up until 2019.
Research
I have worked extensively on the following topics:
- Semantics and pragmatics of constructions:
- Imperatives
- Conditionals
- Infinitive constructions
- Modal constructions
- Word order and syntax
- Degree constructions
- Double negation and constructions
- Modal particles
- Verbal aspect:
- Russian aspect
- Slavic aspect
- Comparative aspect
- Explanation in syntax
- The language and argumentation of Russian propaganda
Curriculum vitae
After finishing his MA's in Philosophy and Slavic languages and cultures at the University of Amsterdam, Egbert Fortuin did his PhD in Russian linguistics at the same university. He became assistant professor of Russian linguistics at Leiden University in 2005. He currently works as professor of Russian language and Linguistics at the same university.
Key publications
- Fortuin E. Universality and language-dependency of tense and aspect: performatives from a cross-linguistic perspective. To appear in Linguistic Typology.
- Fortuin E. & Geerdink H. Universal Semantic Syntax. A Semiotactic Approach. To appear in Cambridge Studies in Linguistics 160. Cambridge University Press
- Fortuin E. & Boogaart R. (2009), Imperative as conditional: From constructional to compositional semantics, Cognitive Linguistics 20(4): 641-673.
- Fortuin E. (2000), Polysemy or monosemy: Interpretation of the imperative and dative-infinitive construction in Russian. ILLC Dissertation Series.
Recent research projects
1. Universal Semantic Syntax (Egbert Fortuin, Hetty Geerdink-Verkoren)
This project focuses on the study of syntax from a semantic point of view. Semiotactics is a theory that aims to analyse and help explain semantic-syntactic structures of individual languages. However, because of its universal basis, it can also serve as a starting point for cross-linguistic comparison. Cross-linguistic comparison presupposes that there is a basis for comparison to start with, such as descriptions in a standardized format and a clear classification of the various methodological statuses of linguistic concepts: which relations and units are universal and which are language-specific? The semiotactic theory is advocated in our new book Universal Semantic Syntax, A Semiotactic Approach, which is a comprehensive introduction into this theory, which combines both syntax and semantics. What makes it unique is that it provides a comprehensive way of both analysing and formalizing linguistic constructions across languages. With this work, we hope to encourage linguists working with other languages to analyse various constructions in these languages by using the semiotactic approach, and to discover whether, and if so how, the theory could be further extended and if necessary adapted.
2. Comparative verbal aspect. This project focuses on verbal aspect and tense from a cross-linguistic perspective. Current topics are the tense, aspect and modality of performatives and the relation between aspect and habituality.
Professor Russian Language and Linguistics
- Faculty of Humanities
- Leiden Univ Centre for Linguistics
- LUCL Russische Studies
- Fortuin Egbert & Van Hugte Thom (2025), Grammar or error? Non-compositional (expletive/paratactic) negation in Dutch sentences with zonder ‘without’. In: van der Auwera Johan & Gianollo Chiara (Eds.), Negative Concord: A Hundred Years On. Berlin/Boston: Walter de Gruyter. 239-268.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2024), Indische adel: de koloniale lotgevallen van de Indische familie Van Braam. Amsterdam: Walburg Pers.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2023), The function of extra negation: insights from the Dutch privative construction, Functions of Language 30(2): 1-29.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2023), Unbounded repetition, habituality, and aspect from a comparative perspective, Folia Linguistica 57(1): 135-175.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2022), Why syntax is all about semantics and pragmatics, Nederlandse Taalkunde 27(1): 2-14.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2022), Let’s take the Cinque hierarchy one step further (by doing semantics): a reply to Barbiers, Nederlandse Taalkunde 27(1): 24-31.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2022), Ukraine commits genocide on Russians: the term “genocide” in Russian propaganda, Russian Linguistics (46): 313–347.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2021), Drawing Attention to Information in Russian Argumentation: The Function of the Performative Expression Važno Podčerknut’ (“It’s Important to Emphasize”). In: Boogaart R., Jansen H. & Leeuwen M. van (Eds.), The Language of Argumentation. Cham: Springer. 261-284.
- Eckhoff H., Fortuin E.L.J. & Sonnenhauser B. (2021), Why doing Russian and Slavic linguistics matters, Russian Linguistics 45(1): 1-6.
- Genis R., Barentsen A., Duijkeren-Hrabová M. van, Kalsbeek J., Kyselica P., Lučić R. & Fortuin E.L.J. (2021), Aspect and past habituality in Slavic: a preliminary survey, Linguistics in Amsterdam 14(1): 2-38.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2021), Explanation in syntax: generative syntax from a functional perspective and the incommensurability of syntactic theories. In: Kosta P. & Schlund K. (Eds.) Keynotes from the International Conference on Explanation and Prediction in Linguistics (CEP): Formalist and Functionalist Approaches. no. 33 Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Warszawa, Wien: Peter Lang.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2019), Universality and language-dependency of tense and aspect: Performatives from a crosslinguistic perspective, Linguistic Typology 23(1): 1-58.
- Fortuin E.L.J. & Geerdink-Verkoren H. (2019), Universal Semantic Syntax. A Semiotactic Approach no. 160. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Fortuin E.L.J. & Davids I. (2019), ‘Now’ in Russian: a corpus-based approach to teper’ and sejčas. In: Fortuin E., Houtzagers P. & Kalsbeek J. (Eds.), Dutch contributions to the sixteenth international congress of Slavists - Linguistics: Belgrade, August 20-27, 2018. Studies in Slavic and General Linguistics no. 44. Leiden: Brill. 76-119.
- Fortuin E.L.J. & Kamphuis J. (2018), Unanswered questions of Slavic aspect: a reply to ‘Thoughts on the ‘Typology of Slavic aspect’ ’, Russian Linguistics 42(1): 105-121.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2017), Some questions regarding the Russian suffix -ščina. In: , Definitely Perfect. Festschrift for Janneke Kalsbeek no. 29. Amsterdam: Pegasus. 129-155.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2016), X is Y te noemen. In: Reuneker A., Boogaart R. & Lensink S. (Eds.), Aries netwerk, een constructicon: Columns aangeboden aan Arie Verhagen op 30 september 2016 ter gelegenheid van zijn afscheid als hoogleraar Nederlandse Taalkunde aan de Universiteit Leiden. Leiden 84-87.
- Boogaart R.J.U. & Fortuin E.L.J. (2016), Modality and mood in cognitive linguistics and construction grammars. In: Nuyts J. & Auwera J. van der (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of modality and mood. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 514-533.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2015), Kirsner on imperatives and pragmatic particles, Nederlandse Taalkunde 20(2): 234-249.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2015), Aspect of the imperative in Slovene as compared to Russian. In: Benacchio R. (Ed.), Glagol’nyj vid: grammatičeskoe značenie i kontekst (Die Welt der Slaven) no. 56. München: Otto Sagner. 216–230.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (24 April 2015), Het ontleden van Russische propaganda: de drogreden. Leiden Rusland Blog. [blog entry].
- Fortuin E. (13 March 2015), Taal als propaganda: bezet de Krim en homoseksualiteit!. Leiden Rusland Blog. [blog entry].
- Fortuin E.L.J. (8 April 2015), Russische propaganda speelt in op gevoel van miskenning. De Volkskrant, Opinie.
- Boele O., Fortuin E. & Schaeken J. (5 March 2015), Een deltaplan voor talenstudies. De Volkskrant.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (12 March 2015), Poetins homohaat onderdeel van zijn campagne tegen EU. NRC Handelsblad, Opinie.
- Fortuin E.L.J. & Kamphuis J. (2015), The typology of Slavic aspect: a review of the East-West Theory of Slavic aspect, Russian Linguistics 39(2): 163-208.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2014), Deconstructing a verbal illusion: The ‘No X is too Y to Z’ construction and the rhetoric of negation, Cognitive Linguistics 25(2): 249-292.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2014), The Existential Construction in Russian: A Semantic-Syntactic Approach. Fortuin E.L.J., Houtzagers P., Kalsbeek J. & Dekker S. (Eds.), Dutch Contributions to the Fifteenth International Congress of Slavists. Minsk. August 20-27, 2013. Fifteenth International Congress of Slavists 20 August 2013 - 27 August 2013 no. 40. Amsterdam: Rodopi. 25-58.
- Fortuin E., Houtzagers P., Kalsbeek J. & Dekker S. (Eds.) (2014), Dutch Contributions to the Fifteenth International Congress of Slavists. Minsk. August 20-27, 2013. [Studies in Slavic and General Linguistics] no. 40. Amsterdam: Rodopi.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (12 August 2014), Taal als de reflectie van een cultuur: het achtervoegsel -ščina (-sjtsjina). Leiden Rusland Blog. [blog entry].
- Fortuin E.L.J., Dekker S. & Schaeken J. (2014), Эпистолярный дейксис в новгородских берестяных грамотах, Вопросы языкознания (1): 21-38.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2013), The construction of excess and sufficiency, Linguistic Typology 17(1): 31-88.
- Fortuin E.L.J. & Davids I. (2013), Subordinate clause prolepsis in Russian, Russian Linguistics 37(2): 125-155.
- Fortuin E.L.J. & Israeli A. (2012), Modal particles and aspectuality: znaj and sebe in Russian, Russkij jazyk v naučnom osveščenii 2(24): 107-131.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2012), WHEN ‘ENOUGH’ IS NOT ‘ENOUGH’ IN RUSSIAN. Genis René & Haard Erik de (Eds.), Between east and west: Festschrift for Wim Honselaar on the occassion of his 65th birthday. . Amsterdam: pegasus. 167-174.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2011), Meaning without form? Verbal ellipsis within Semiotactics. Geerdink-Verkoren H. & Engelenhoven A. van (Eds.), LSSEM 03: Searching the Invariant. : LINCOM. 17-32.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2011), Iconicity, economy and frequency: the paratactic conditional perfective present construction in Russian, Russian Linguistics 35: 89-123.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2011), Explaining the distribution of infinitives of impersonals in Russian, Language Sciences 33(5): 768-785.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2010), Explicit second person subjects in Russian imperatives: semantics, word order, and a comparison with English, Linguistics: an Interdisciplinary Journal of the Language Sciences 48(2): 431-486.
- Fortuin E.L.J. & Boogaart R.J.U. (2009), Imperative as conditional: From constructional to compositional semantics, Cognitive Linguistics 20(4): 641-673.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2009), Discussie over C.L. Ebeling, Semiotaxis. Over theoretische en Nederlandse syntaxis, Nederlandse Taalkunde 1: 66-118.
- Boogaart R.J.U. & Fortuin E.L.J. (2009), De betekenis en interpretatie van Semiotaxis, Nederlandse Taalkunde 1: 66-74.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2009), Review article of Kylie R. Richardson. Case and Aspect in Slavic. Oxford University Press, Lingua 119(3): 389-526.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2008), Frequency, iteration and quantity: the semantics of expressions of frequent repetition in Russian and their relationship to aspect, Russian Linguistics 32(3): 203-243.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2008), The construction of degree in Russian. Houtzagers P., Kalsbeek J. & Schaeken J. (Eds.), Studies in Slavic and General Linguistics (SSGL) 34. International Congress of Slavists 10 September 2008 - 16 September 2008. Amsterdam/New York: Rodopi. 45-108.
- Boele O.F. & Fortuin E.L.J. (25 March 2008), Echte talenstudies brokkelen af. NRC Handelsblad: 6-6.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2008), Polisemija imperativa v russkom jazyke, Voprosy Jazykoznanija 1: 3-24.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2008), Frequency, iteration and quantity: the semantics of expressions of frequent repetition in Russian and their relationship to aspect, Russian Linguistics 32(3): 203-243.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2008), Frequency, iteration and quantity: the semantics of expressions of frequent repetition in Russian and the relationship to aspect, Russian Linguistics 32(3): 203-243.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2007), Modality & Aspect: interaction of constructional meaning and aspectual meaning in the dative-infinitive construction in Russian, Russian Linguistics 31: 201-230.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2006), The use of the dative subject in the construction of anteriority in Russian, Russian Linguistics 30(3): 321-357.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2005), From possibility to necessity: the semantic spectrum of the dative-infinitive construction in Russian. Hansen B. & Karlík P. (Eds.), Modality in Slavonic Languages: new perspectives. . München: Otto Sagner. 39-60.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2004), De syntaxis van imperatiefsubjecten en modale partikels: een pragma-semantische benadering, Nederlandse Taalkunde 9: 355-375.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2003), De directieve infinitief en imperatief in het Nederlands, Nederlandse Taalkunde 8: 14-43.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (2003), The conceptual basis of syntactic rules: a semantic motivation for the second dative in Russian, Lingua 113: 49-92.
- Fortuin E.L.J. (18 January 2001), Polysemy or monosemy: Interpretation of the imperative and dative-infinitve construction in Russian (Dissertatie, Faculty of Humanities, Universiteit van Amsterdam). Amsterdam: ICLC. Supervisor(s): Bartsch R.