Professor emeritus of anthropology and lover of language John Gumperz dies at 91 John Gumperz dedica

Professor emeritus of anthropology and lover of language John Gumperz dies at 91

John Gumperz dedicated his life to language. A UC Berkeley professor emeritus of anthropology, he died at the age of 91 on Friday in Santa Barbara.

Gumperz was an intellectual and adventurer — a curious, unassuming scholar who studied people and language all around the world. He used his research to fill the gaps that written language could not, focusing linguistic study on solving issues of social justice and helping people communicate across cultural boundaries.

He brought this passion for language to UC Berkeley, where he taught for 35 years until his retirement in 1991. The professor pioneered research in linguistic anthropology — studying language as a social and cultural endeavor as well as a form of written communication.