Morris Swadesh

Morris Swadesh was a prominent American linguist, born in 1909 in Massachusetts to Jewish immigrant parents from Bessarabia. He pursued his academic interests in linguistics at the University of Chicago, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees under the guidance of renowned linguist Edward Sapir. Swadesh continued his studies with Sapir at Yale University, completing his Ph.D. in 1933. His early career involved teaching positions, including a stint at the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1937 to 1939.

Swadesh's career took a significant turn during World War II, as he contributed to projects with the United States Army and the Office of Strategic Services. After the war, he became a professor at the City College of New York, although his tenure was cut short in 1949 due to his affiliation with the Communist Party. Following his dismissal, Swadesh spent the majority of his remaining years teaching in Mexico and Canada, where he developed his mature career, particularly at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). He passed away in 1967, leaving behind a legacy in the field of comparative and historical linguistics.