Biography

I have been immersed in the field of ancient studies since my undergraduate years at the University of the Free State. In 1991, I successfully completed my first Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in Semitic Languages and Greek. Subsequently, I achieved a Bachelor of Arts Honors (cum laude) in Semitic Languages in 1992, followed by a Master of Arts (cum laude) in Semitic Languages in 1996, a Bachelor of Theology (cum laude) in 1998, and a Ph.D. in Hebrew in 2015, all at the University of the Free State.
My Master's thesis, titled "Verb Movement in Biblical Aramaic," delved into Biblical Aramaic within the theoretical framework of Chomskyan Generative Grammar, specifically the Minimalist Program. This work was later published as a revised book in Acta Academia Supplementum in 2001. Shifting my focus to Biblical Hebrew, my subsequent research involved an in-depth analysis of spatial words such as "ascend" and "descend" to construct an enriched database of spatial cognition in the Hebrew Bible. The methodology employed in my Ph.D. research integrated the linguistic theoretical framework of Cognitive Linguistics.
In terms of academic engagement, I have been actively involved in teaching Semitic Languages since 1993. Beginning as a junior lecturer at the University of the Free State, I later assumed a position as a lecturer in Semitic Languages at North-West University (NWU) in 2001, where I was subsequently promoted to senior lecturer in 2006. I received recognition as one of NWU's top 20% performers from 2010 to 2015, and in 2017 and 2023, I received awards for Teaching Excellence and Faculty Teaching.
Since 2002, I have devoted considerable effort to establishing the School for Ancient Studies and Research group: Ancient Texts at NWU. During this time, I developed and managed new programs in Ancient Studies and assumed responsibility for maintaining the quality of the Faculty. I served as a project leader for the scholarship of teaching and learning and currently lead the Ancient Languages programs. Additionally, I have acted as a mentor for three capacity-building positions.
My contributions extend to serving as an external postgraduate examiner for various MA and Ph.D. studies for institutions such as UNISA, US, and NWU. I have also served as a referee for at least 22 articles in journals such as JSEM, OTE, JNSL, In Luce Verbi, and HTS. Furthermore, I have reviewed an international book, served as an NRF reviewer, participated in the redaction committee of JSEM, been a member of the executive committee of SASNES for 12 years, and convened the organizing committee of the annual SASNES colloquium.
My primary research focus revolves around the linguistic study of ancient West Semitic languages, with a specific emphasis on Biblical Hebrew. Adopting a linguistic theoretical framework rooted in Cognitive Linguistics, I concentrate on the Hebrew text of the book of Job, exploring spatial cognition in particular. Recognizing the applicability of the theoretical foundations of ancient studies to diverse data sets, I initiated a project directing an archaeological petroglyph site near Potchefstroom. Collaborating with colleagues in other disciplines, we are creating a database comprising over 2000 petroglyphs. The overarching goal is to establish connections between petroglyphs and early developments in language, utilizing ancient studies as a theoretical foundation.