Gerhard van Huyssteen (51) is a professor of Afrikaans linguistics and computer linguistics at the North-West University. His research focuses mostly on construction grammar (specifically Afrikaans morphology, and swearing in Afrikaans), with application in language standardization, and the development of human language technology (HLT) resources and applications for (mainly) Afrikaans. He served on the Language Commission of the South African Academy for Science and the Arts from 2005-2021, and was elected chair from 2013-2021. From 2009-2014 he served on the panel of human language technology experts of the Department of Arts and Culture. He is the recipient of the Elizabeth Eybers Scholarship, the CL Engelbrecht Prize for Linguistic Research for his contribution to the publication of the tenth edition of the "Afrikaanse woordelys en spelreëls", and the recipient of the Stals Prize for inter- and multidisciplinary research. Van Huyssteen is best known for his contribution as a linguist in the development of text technology applications and various electronic resources for Afrikaans, and as conceptualiser, content producer, and presenter of language quiz programs on Radio Sonder Grense and kykNET, as columnist in Beeld / Netwerk24, and producer and presenter of four podcast series on language and linguistic issues.
Building E9, room 108; Potchefstroom
