Childhood and Education Journey of Noam Chomsky in Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Noam Chomsky. From birth to education, explore key events.

Noam Chomsky is a highly influential American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and political activist. He is renowned as the "father of modern linguistics" for his groundbreaking theories on universal grammar. Chomsky is also a prominent figure on the American left, known for his sharp critiques of U.S. foreign policy, capitalism, and the role of corporations and media in shaping political discourse. He has authored over 150 books on diverse topics, solidifying his place as one of the most cited living authors.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1913: William Chomsky Flees Russian Empire

In 1913, William Chomsky, Noam Chomsky's father, fled the Russian Empire to escape conscription.

December 7, 1928: Noam Chomsky Born

On December 7, 1928, Avram Noam Chomsky was born. He is known for his work in linguistics, political activism, and social criticism. He is a laureate professor of linguistics at the University of Arizona and an institute professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Others born on this day/year

1938: Reading Homage to Catalonia

In 1938, Chomsky read Orwell's depiction of Barcelona's functioning anarchist society in Homage to Catalonia.

Homage to Catalonia

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1939: Fall of Barcelona

In 1939, Chomsky became absorbed in the story of the fall of Barcelona and suppression of the Spanish anarchosyndicalist movement.

1945: Began Studies at University of Pennsylvania

In 1945, at the age of 16, Chomsky began a general program of study at the University of Pennsylvania, where he explored philosophy, logic, and languages.

1947: Began Romantic Relationship with Carol Doris Schatz

In 1947, Chomsky began a romantic relationship with Carol Doris Schatz.

1947: Met Zellig Harris

In 1947, Chomsky first met Zellig Harris in a political circle, who introduced him to theoretical linguistics and convinced him to major in the subject. In 1947, Chomsky also began a romantic relationship with Carol Doris Schatz.

1949: Marriage to Carol Doris Schatz

In 1949, Chomsky married Carol Doris Schatz.

1951: Society of Fellows at Harvard University

From 1951 to 1955, Chomsky was a member of the Society of Fellows at Harvard University, where he undertook research on what became his doctoral dissertation.

1951: Received MA from University of Pennsylvania

In 1951, Chomsky received his MA from the University of Pennsylvania. His thesis, "Morphophonemics of Modern Hebrew" was subsequently published as a book.

1953: Travel to Europe

In 1953, Chomsky and his wife took a Harvard travel grant to Europe.

1955: Doctor of Philosophy degree

In 1955 Chomsky submitted a thesis setting out his ideas on transformational grammar and was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree for it.

1955: Doctorate and MIT Teaching

In 1955, Chomsky earned his doctorate after developing the theory of transformational grammar. In the same year, he began teaching at MIT.

1955: Chomsky's Dissertation

In 1955, Noam Chomsky's dissertation presented recent advancements in the analysis formulated by Zellig Harris, Chomsky's PhD supervisor, and Charles F. Hockett.

1957: Birth of daughter Aviva

In 1957, Aviva, the daughter of Noam Chomsky, was born.

1957: Associate Professor at MIT & Visiting Professor at Columbia University

In 1957, MIT promoted Chomsky to the position of associate professor. In the same year, The Chomskys had their first child, Aviva. He also published his first book on linguistics, Syntactic Structures.

1960: Birth of daughter Diane

In 1960, Diane, the daughter of Noam Chomsky, was born.

1962: Joined protests against Vietnam War

In 1962, Chomsky started to publicly protest against the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, speaking at small gatherings in churches and homes.

1965: Relocation to Lexington

In 1965, the Chomskys relocated to the suburb of Lexington after living in the Allston area of Boston since Noam was made a Fellow at Harvard.

1967: Honorary Doctorate from the University of Chicago

In 1967, Chomsky received an honorary doctorate from the University of Chicago.

1967: Birth of son Harry

In 1967, Harry, the son of Noam Chomsky, was born.

1968: Questioned Student Protest Objectives

In 1968, Chomsky questioned the objectives of the student protests even though he regularly lectured student activist groups and ran undergraduate courses on politics at MIT independently.

1970: Honorary Doctorates from Loyola University Chicago and Swarthmore College

In 1970, Chomsky received honorary doctorates from Loyola University Chicago and Swarthmore College.

1970: Visited Southeast Asia

In 1970, Chomsky visited southeast Asia to lecture at Vietnam's Hanoi University of Science and Technology and toured war refugee camps in Laos.

1971: Honorary Doctorate from Bard College

In 1971, Chomsky received an honorary doctorate from Bard College.

1972: Honorary Doctorate from Delhi University

In 1972, Chomsky received an honorary doctorate from Delhi University.

1973: Helped lead a committee commemorating the War Resisters League

In 1973, Chomsky helped lead a committee commemorating the 50th anniversary of the War Resisters League.

1973: Honorary Doctorate from the University of Massachusetts

In 1973, Chomsky received an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts.

1985: Traveled to Managua

In 1985, Chomsky traveled to Managua during the Nicaraguan Contra War to meet with workers' organizations and refugees, giving public lectures on politics and linguistics.

1988: Visited Palestinian Territories

In 1988, Chomsky visited the Palestinian territories to witness the impact of Israeli occupation.

1995: Visited Australia for East Timor cause

In 1995, Chomsky visited Australia to talk about East Timorese independence at the behest of the East Timorese Relief Association and the National Council for East Timorese Resistance.

2001: Interviewed After September 11 Attacks

In 2001, Chomsky was widely interviewed after the September 11 attacks, arguing that the ensuing war on terror was a continuation of U.S. foreign policy.

2002: Visited Turkey for publisher's trial

In 2002, Chomsky visited Turkey to attend the trial of a publisher accused of treason for printing one of his books, insisting on being a co-defendant, and during that trip he visited Kurdish areas of Turkey, speaking in favor of Kurdish human rights.

2003: Attended World Social Forum in Brazil and India

In 2003, Chomsky attended the World Social Forum conferences in Brazil and India, as a supporter of the forum.

2003: Opposing the Invasion of Iraq

In 2003, Chomsky opposed the invasion of Iraq, continuing his vocal political activism after retiring from active teaching at MIT.

2003: Visited Cuba

In 2003, Chomsky visited Cuba at the invitation of the Latin American Association of Social Scientists.

2008: Death of Carol Chomsky

In 2008, Carol Doris (Schatz) Chomsky, Noam Chomsky's wife, passed away.

2011: Supported the Occupy Movement

In 2011, Chomsky supported the Occupy movement, speaking at encampments and publishing on the movement, which he called a reaction to a 30-year class war.

2012: Honorary Doctorate from the International School for Advanced Studies

In 2012, Chomsky received an honorary doctorate from the International School for Advanced Studies.

2014: Marriage to Valeria Wasserman

In 2014, Chomsky married Valeria Wasserman, a translator for the Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of São Paulo.

2015: Purchased a residence in São Paulo, Brazil

In 2015, Chomsky and his wife purchased a residence in São Paulo, Brazil, and began splitting their time between Brazil and the U.S.

2015: Purchase of home in Brazil

In 2015, Chomsky and his wife, Valeria Wasserman, purchased a home in Brazil, Wasserman's native country.

June 2023: Moved to Brazil Full-Time

In June 2023, Chomsky moved to Brazil full-time after suffering a stroke.

2023: Stroke and Hospitalization

In 2023, Chomsky suffered a massive stroke and was taken to a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, for recovery. He lost the ability to walk or communicate, casting doubt on his return to public life, though he continued to follow current events.

June 2024: Discharge from Hospital

In June 2024, Chomsky was discharged from the hospital to continue his recovery at home. The same month, he trended on social media due to false reports of his death, leading to premature obituaries.