My expertise is in Indo-European linguistics. I have successively specialized in Italic (BA), Greek (MA), Germanic (MA), Anatolian (PhD) and Tocharian (postdoc), and contributed to various dictionary projects. I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others, for instance through teaching, and think this is important.

More information about Stefan Norbruis

Fields of interest

Within the field of Indo-European linguistics, my main areas of interest are the historical developments of the Tocharian, Anatolian, Greek, Italic and Germanic branches, and the reconstruction of Proto-Indo-European.

Research

My postdoc research focuses on the easternmost branch of the Indo-European language family, Tocharian. Known from Buddhist texts found in China dating to the early middle ages, the branch consists of two closely related languages, termed Tocharian A and Tocharian B. The purpose of my research is to determine how Tocharian relates to the rest of the Indo-European language family. Tocharian appears to have several archaic features, some of which have been taken to suggest that it was the second branch to split off, after Anatolian. The research, which is carried out in collaboration with PhD candidate Louise Friis, is part of dr. Michaël Peyrot's ERC-project "The Tocharian Trek: A linguistic reconstruction of the migration of the Tocharians from Europe to China".

Curriculum vitae

Research
2020-2023: postdoc, the phylogenetic position of Tocharian, Leiden University
2015-2019: PhD, Indo-European origins of Anatolian morphology and semantics, Leiden University

Work on dictionary projects
2015-2018: Kessels, Sluiter & Rijksbaron,  Grieks/Nederlands Woordenboek, Leiden University
2014-2015: Van der Sijs, elektronische Woordenbank van de Nederlandse dialecten, Meertens Instituut, Amsterdam
2014: Beekes,  Pre-Greek: Phonology,  Morphology,  Lexicon, Leiden University
2011-2014: Beekes,  Etymological Dictionary of Greek, Leiden University

Teaching
2006-pres.: teacher and tutor of various Indo-European languages (Greek, Latin, Hittite, Luwian, Lycian, Italian, Dutch) and historical linguistics

Education
2008-2015: MA (summa cum laude), Comparative Indo-European Linguistics (specialization: Frisian historical linguistics), Leiden University
2008-2014: MA (cum laude), Research Master Classics and Ancient Civilizations (specialization: Greek historical linguistics), VU University Amsterdam
2004-2008: BA, Classics (specialization: Italic historical linguistics), VU University Amsterdam

Publications