Martin Durrell

Professor Martin Durrell (born 6 November 1943) is an English academic who is known for his study of the German language.^[1][2] In 1990, Durrell was appointed to the Henry Simon Chair of German at the University of Manchester,^[3] until becoming professor emeritus at his retirement in 2008.^[2]

Durrell graduated from Jesus College, Cambridge in Modern & Medieval Languages before earning a Diploma in General Linguistics at the University of Manchester. He then completed a doctorate at the University of Marburg.^[1]

From 1967 to 1986, Durrell worked as a lecturer at the University of Manchester before spending four years as Professor of German at the Royal Holloway and Bedford College, University of London.^[1]

From 1998 to 2008, Durrell was a member of the International Academic Council of the Institut für Deutsche Sprache (IDS).^[3] From 1995 to 2004, he served on the international committee of the Internationale Vereinigung für Germanistik (IVG) (serving as Vice-President during 2004-05).^[3] Durrell is particularly known for his work on the text Hammer's German Grammar and Usage which is recognised as the foremost English language reference guide to German grammar.^[3]

In 2002, Durrell was given the award of Bundesverdienstkreuz (Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany) for his services to British-German understanding and, in 2020, received the prize of the Director of the Institut für Deutsche Sprache for lifetime achievement in international German linguistics.^[3][4]