Dr. Ali-Muhammad Haghshenas-Laari, the top Iranian linguist, translator,

lexicographer, and literary critic, passed away on Friday, 30 April 2010 in

Tehran. Born at Jahrom, a city near Shiraz, southern Iran, on 4 May 1940,

he received his first academic degree in Persian literature from the

Advanced Teacher's College, Tehran. Then he went to the School of Oriental

and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London, and received his

PhD in 1971 on a study of Persian lexical stress in the dialect of Tehran.

In London, he had the opportunity of teaching Persian, too. Soon after

finishing his studies, he returned to Tehran in 1972. Since his return to

Tehran, he held the post of professorship of linguistics at the Department

of Linguistics, of the University of Tehran. As a top Iranian linguist, he

contributed several seminal works to the community of linguists both in

Iran and abroad. He also served as a top consultant to a number of leading

academic circles in Iran. Haghshenas-Laari proved a really outstanding and

prolific academic. From amongst his numerous works the following can be

mentioned: 'Phonetics', 'English-Persian Dictionary', and translations of

linguistics classics, e.g., L. Bloomfield's 'Language', E. Sapir's

'Language', R. H. Robins's 'Short History of Linguistics'. He supervised

many MA theses and PhD dissertations as well. He was also selected as a

Permanent Academic Figure in Iran; some of his works won him National

Iranian Book Awards, too. The Iranian community of linguists and literary

critics will always remember him, for he proved a truly role model for

whoever aspired to make an enthusiastic academic. Not only the University

of Tehran but also the whole Iranian academics will remember him and

cherish his memory for his hard work, perseverance, and admirable patience.

His funeral took place on Monday, 3 May 2010. May his soul receive the

Divine grace in Paradise. Amen