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Ph.D. Cornell University
Ph.D. Cornell University
John Frederick Bailyn is Professor of Linguistics at Stony Brook University, where he teaches general linguistics, syntax, language and politics, and Slavic linguistics. His research involves investigations of the workings of the linguistic component of the mind, with particular attention to the syntax of Slavic languages.
Within theoretical linguistics, his primary interests lie in generative syntax, especially issues of case, word order, morpho-syntax, and constraints on movement.
Within Slavic Linguistics, he is interested in Russian syntax, morphology, and phonology, comparative Slavic syntax, and historical linguistics.
Within cognitive science, he is interested in issues of modularity, creativity, evolution, and musical cognition.
JFB is also the co-founder and co-Director of The NYI Global Institute of Cultural, Cognitive, and Linguistic Studies , founded in 2003 as the NY-St. Petersburg Institute of Linguistics, Cognition and Culture (NYI), and entering its 12th virtual session in 2026 after 17 years in-person.
Outside academia, JFB is a strong advocate for minority rights, self-determination of peoples, mutli-lingualism, hard-copy reading, and eliminating penalty kicks from the rules of world soccer (football), of which he is a lifelong player and fan.
He holds a PhD in LInguistics from Cornell University.
Selected Articles
“čto-clause translucence and the theory of weak islands: beyond Subjacency, the ECP, and even the PIC”. (2024). In L. Clemens et al, eds, Syntax in Unchartered Territories: Essays in Honor of Maria Polinsky, 43-60.
“How strict should Cartography be? A view from Slavic”. (2023). In Z. Shen & S. Laszakovits (eds.), The size of things II: Movement, features, and interpretation: 141–158.
“The Scrambling Paradox”. (2020). Linguistic Inquiry 51(4): 635-669.
“Mistaken Identity, two case studies in the politicization of language” (2020). in Slawisch-deutsche Begegnungen in Literatur, Kultur und Sprache II (Aleksandra Bednarowska, Beata Kołodziejczyk-Mróz, Piotr Majcher (eds.)
"Bulgarian Superiority and Minimalist Movement Theory" (2018). In Y. Oseki, M. Esipova & S. Harves (Eds), Formal Approaches to Slavic Linguistics 25. Michigan Slavic Publications, Ann Arbor, MI: 27-49.
"Against a VP ellipsis account of Russian verb-stranding constructions" (2017). In Alexander Vovin (ed) Studies in Japanese and Korean Linguistics and beyond, BRILL: 93-109.
"Language, Music, Fire, and Chess: Remarks on Music Evolution and Acquisition" (2015). In P. Eismont and N. Konstantinova (Eds.): Language, Music and Computation, Springer, CCIS 561: 27–44.
"Kinds of Derivational Binding" (2011) in Gerhild Zybatow et al (eds), Formal Studies in Slavic Linguistics: Linguistik International, vol. 25. Frankfurt/Main: Peter Lang: 11-30.
"To what degree are Croatian and Serbian the same language? Evidence from a translation Study" (2010). Journal of Slavic Linguistics, 18(2): 181-219.
"What's Inside VP? New (and old) Evidence from Russian" (2010). Formal Approaches to Slavic Linguistics 18, Michigan Slavic Publications, Ann Arbor, MI: 21-37.
"A Derivational Approach to Micro-Variation in Slavic Binding" (2007). In Formal Approaches to Slavic Linguistics 15: A. Savchenko et al (eds.), Michigan Slavic Publications, Ann Arbor, MI: 25-41.
"Slavic Generative Syntax" (2007). In Slavic Linguistics 2000, S. Franks, (ed.) Glossos 8: 1-54.
"Against the Scrambling anti-movement Movement" (2006). In Formal Approaches to Slavic Linguistics 14: J. Lavine et al (eds.), Michigan Slavic Publications, Ann Arbor, MI: 35-49
"Generalized Inversion" (2004). Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 22: 1-49
"The Case of Q" (2004). In Formal Approaches to Slavic Linguistics 12: O. Arnaudova et. al. (eds.), Michigan Slavic Publications, Ann Arbor, MI: 1-36.
"A (purely) Derivational Account of Russian Scrambling" (2003). In Formal Approaches to Slavic Linguistics 11: B. Partee et. al. (eds.), Michigan Slavic Publications, Ann Arbor, MI: 41-62.
"Overt Predicators" (2003). Journal of Slavic Linguistics 10/1-2 (Festschrift for Leonard H. Babby): 23-52.
"On Scrambling: A Reply to Bošković and Takahashi" (2001). Linguistic Inquiry 32/4: 635-658.
Books
The Future of (Post-)Socialism (2018)
SUNY Press. (ed with Dijana Jelača and Danijela Lugarić)
Cambridge University Press (winner of the 2013 AATSEEL prize for best contribution in Slavic Linguistics, 2012-13)
Formal Approaches to Slavic Linguistics 19 (2012)
The College Park Meeting. (ed.) (w/ Ewan Dunbar, Yakov Konrad and Chris LaTerza), Michigan Slavic Publications, Ann Arbor, MI.
Formal Approaches to Slavic Linguistics 16 (2008)
The Stony Brook Meeting. (ed.) (w/ Andrei Antonenko and Christina Y. Bethin,), Michigan Slavic Publications, Ann Arbor, MI.
Book Reviews
Review of David Pesetsky, Russian case morphology and the syntactic categories. (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 2013). in Russian Language Journal 64: 230-244.
Review of Alternatives to Cartography, (J. van Cranenbroeck, ed) (2011). Language: 665-671.
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