Sohn is a linguist of great versatility, who has done extensive work in two fields of areal linguistics: (i) Korean and Japanese, and (ii) Micronesian languages (Ulithian, Woleaian, Kwara”ae, and others). To the languages in both of these groups he has applied methods and theories of phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic, and historical-comparative analysis. Not only does he cover these various “bread-and-butter” areas with equal skill, but he also manifests an adept approach to sociolinguistic issues and matters of language pedagogy. In treating various comparative problems, he further shows sensitive understanding of semantic and pragmatic values in English. …. By and large Sohn”s work will be of general appeal both to theoretical linguists and to non-theory-oriented students of Korean (or to some extent Japanese), because “most analyses and accompanying discussions … are predominantly data-based, without extensive involvement in the matters of abstract theoretical polemics.”

Sohn Ho-min

HO-MIN SOHN is Professor of Korean linguistics and Director of the Korean Language Flagship Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) and President of the Korean Language Education and Research Center, Inc. which has developed twenty Korean language textbooks.
He is a past chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures (1993-2000) and a past director of the Center for Korean Studies (2004-10) at UHM and a past president of both the International Circle of Korean Linguistics (1979-81) and of the American Association of Teachers of Korean (1994-7). His numerous publications include Korean Language in Culture and Society (2006), The Korean Language (1999), Korean: Descriptive Grammar (1994), Linguistic Expeditions (1986), Woleaian- English Dictionary (1976), Woleaian Reference Grammar (1975), and A Ulithian Grammar (1973).