Remembering Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Lars Johanson: His Scholarly Legacy in Turkic Linguistics

Abstract

The article aims to provide a systematic analysis of the key theoretical directions shaped by Lars Johanson and to clarify their position and explanatory power in contemporary linguistics. The discussion focuses on three major contributions: (1) the viewpoint aspect framework and its relevance for modelling aspectual meanings; (2) Johanson’s impact on the study of evidentiality/indirectivity, especially as a category encoding information source and indirect access to evidence; and (3) the methodological value of the code-copying model in contact linguistics. The author seeks to demonstrate how Johanson’s work on aspectuality intersects with issues of information structure and language contact, treating these domains as interconnected components of a coherent research agenda.

Methodologically, the study combines historical-descriptive, comparative, and analytical approaches. It offers an integrated reading of Johanson’s major monographs, articles, and editorial projects, allowing the author to trace the evolution of his conceptual apparatus and to outline the scope of his influence across Turkology and general linguistics. Particular attention is paid to how his core notions (aspect, evidentiality/indirectivity, and code-copying) continue to function as productive analytical tools in current typological and Turkological scholarship.

The paper’s scholarly novelty lies in interpreting Johanson not merely as a specialist in Turkic languages but as a figure associated with a broader theoretical school that has shaped developments in general linguistics. The article also highlights his institutional and organizational contributions to the field, including his role in advancing the Turcologica series, supporting the journal Turkic Languages, and contributing to the Encyclopedia of Turkic Languages and Linguistics Online. The findings demonstrate that Johanson’s intellectual legacy remains highly relevant and that his theoretical proposals are actively extended in present-day research on aspectology, typology, contact linguistics, and discourse/information-structure studies.

Keywords: Lars Johanson, Turkology, viewpoint aspect, contact linguistics, code-copying.