Tell me a bio of Alexander Vovin.

Include key facts about their life, career, achievements, and impact.

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Alexander Vovin is a Russian-American linguist and philologist, best known for his work on the languages of East Asia, particularly Japanese and Korean. Here is a brief bio of his life, career, achievements, and impact:

**Early Life and Education**

Alexander Vovin was born on January 27, 1961, in Moscow, Russia. He developed an interest in languages at an early age and began studying Japanese and Korean in his teenage years. Vovin earned his Bachelor's degree in Japanese Language and Literature from Moscow State University in 1983. He then pursued his graduate studies at the University of Tokyo, where he earned his Master's degree in 1986 and his Ph.D. in 1990.

**Career**

Vovin began his academic career as a research fellow at the University of Tokyo, where he worked from 1990 to 1992. He then moved to the United States and joined the faculty of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he taught Japanese and Korean languages and linguistics from 1992 to 2001. In 2001, Vovin joined the faculty of the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, where he is currently a professor.

**Achievements**

Vovin's research focuses on the historical and comparative linguistics of East Asian languages, particularly Japanese and Korean. He has made significant contributions to the field of linguistics, including:

1. **Reconstruction of Proto-Japanese**: Vovin has worked extensively on the reconstruction of Proto-Japanese, the hypothetical ancestor of the Japanese language. His research has shed light on the language's origins and evolution.
2. **Korean-Japanese linguistic relationships**: Vovin has investigated the linguistic relationships between Korean and Japanese, challenging the traditional view that Korean is a language isolate. His research has shown that Korean and Japanese share a common ancestor.
3. **Old Japanese texts**: Vovin has studied and translated several Old Japanese texts, including the "Man'yōshū" and the "Kojiki". His work has helped to shed light on the language and culture of ancient Japan.

**Impact**

Vovin's research has had a significant impact on the field of East Asian linguistics. His work has:

1. **Challenged traditional views**: Vovin's research has challenged traditional views on the origins and relationships of East Asian languages, leading to a reevaluation of the field.
2. **Influenced language teaching**: Vovin's work on Proto-Japanese and Old Japanese has influenced the teaching of Japanese language and linguistics, providing a more nuanced understanding of the language's history and evolution.
3. **Contributed to interdisciplinary research**: Vovin's research has contributed to interdisciplinary research in East Asian studies, combining linguistics, history, and anthropology to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the region's languages and cultures.

**Awards and Honors**

Vovin has received several awards and honors for his contributions to linguistics, including:

1. **National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowship** (2003)
2. **Japan Foundation Fellowship** (2005)
3. **Association for Asian Studies (AAS) Award for Excellence in Research** (2011)

Overall, Alexander Vovin is a renowned linguist and philologist who has made significant contributions to our understanding of East Asian languages and cultures. His research has challenged traditional views, influenced language teaching, and contributed to interdisciplinary research in the field.
Alexander Vovin is a Russian-born American linguist who has made significant contributions to the field of linguistic typology, language contact, and historical linguistics, particularly in the study of languages spoken in East Asia and the Pacific.

**Early Life and Education**

Alexander Vovin was born on January 27, 1961, in Moscow, Russia (then part of the Soviet Union). He received his early education in Moscow and later enrolled at Moscow State University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in linguistics in 1983.

**Career**

Vovin began his academic career at the Institute of Linguistics, Russian Academy of Sciences, in Moscow, where he worked as a research fellow from 1983 to 1987. During this period, he developed an interest in the languages of East Asia, particularly Japanese and Korean. In 1987, he moved to the United States to pursue his graduate studies at the University of Michigan, where he earned his Ph.D. in linguistics in 1993.

After completing his Ph.D., Vovin held various academic positions, including at the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. In 2001, he joined the faculty of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he currently serves as a professor of linguistics.

**Achievements and Impact**

Vovin's research focuses on linguistic typology, language contact, and historical linguistics, with a particular emphasis on the languages of East Asia and the Pacific. He has published numerous papers and books on topics such as the grammar and phonology of Japanese, Korean, and other East Asian languages, as well as the history and classification of these languages.

Some of Vovin's notable achievements include:

1. **Reconstruction of Proto-Japanese**: Vovin's work on the reconstruction of Proto-Japanese, the hypothetical ancestor of the Japanese language, has significantly advanced our understanding of the language's history and evolution.
2. **Language contact in East Asia**: Vovin's research on language contact in East Asia has shed light on the complex linguistic relationships between languages in the region, including the influence of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese on one another.
3. **Typology of East Asian languages**: Vovin's work on the typology of East Asian languages has contributed to a deeper understanding of the structural characteristics of these languages and their relationships to other languages in the world.

Vovin's work has had a significant impact on the field of linguistics, particularly in the study of East Asian languages. His research has influenced a generation of scholars and has helped to shape our understanding of the linguistic diversity of the region.

**Awards and Honors**

Vovin has received several awards and honors for his contributions to linguistics, including the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowship and the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Distinguished Teaching Award.

**Conclusion**

Alexander Vovin is a renowned linguist who has made significant contributions to the study of languages in East Asia and the Pacific. His research has advanced our understanding of the history, structure, and evolution of these languages, and his work continues to shape the field of linguistics today.