Georgios Babiniotis ( el, Γεώργιος Μπαμπινιώτης; born 6 January 1939) is a Greek
linguist
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Lingui ...
and
philologist
Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as ...
and former
Minister of Education and Religious Affairs of
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...
. He previously served as rector of
Athens University. As a linguist, he is best known as the author of a ''
Dictionary of Modern Greek'' (Λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας), which was published in 1998.
Biography
He was born in
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh List ...
, in 1939. He graduated from the 9th Boys' Gymnasium of Athens and then he studied philology at the School of Philosophy of the
University of Athens
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA; el, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών, ''Ethnikó ke Kapodistriakó Panepistímio Athinón''), usually referred to simply as the Univers ...
. In 1962 he earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Athens and he continued his studies in Greece and
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...
. Before his 35th birthday, he became a
full professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...
of linguistics at the Department of Philology of the School of Philosophy of the University of Athens. In 1991 he was elected president of the Philology Section of the Philosophy School and in 2000 he was elected
rector
Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to:
Style or title
*Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations
*Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
of Athens University, a position he held until 2006.
He is also president of the
Arsakeio-Tositseio Schools Educationalist Society (Φιλεκπαιδευτική Εταιρεία Αρσακείων-Τοσιτσείων Σχολείων), president of the management council of the
Greek Civilization Foundation
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
* Greeks, an ethnic group.
* Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
** Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ances ...
(Ίδρυμα Ελληνικού Πολιτισμού) and president of the
Athens Linguistics Society
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...
(Γλωσσική Εταιρεία των Αθηνών). In 2009 he was assigned manager of the
Council of Primary and Secondary Education (Συμβούλιο Πρωτοβάθμιας και Δευτεροβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης) and he works on the changes of the examinations system in Greek secondary schools (
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Generally in that type of school the ...
s) that allow students to undertake tertiary education. He frequently writes articles for the daily newspaper ''
To Vima'' and was also scientific advisor for the Greek public television stations. He manages the
Lexicology Centre (Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας) which in 1998 published the ''Dictionary of Modern Greek'' (Λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας), which has also come to be known as the "
Babiniotis dictionary".
On 7 March 2012, he was appointed Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs in the coalition cabinet of Prime Minister
Lucas Papademos, a post which he held until 17 May 2012.
See also
*
Babiniotis dictionary court case
References
External links
Personal websiteBiography in Greekfrom the National Book Centre.
Lexicology Centre
1939 births
Living people
Politicians from Athens
Linguists from Greece
Greek lexicographers
Greek philologists
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens faculty
Heads of universities and colleges in Greece
Ministers of National Education and Religious Affairs of Greece
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