The subject of linguistic typology lies in comparative study of natural languages, regardless of the nature of the genetic relationship between them. Along with the “large”, well-studied languages, the sphere of interests of linguist typologists includes small and rare languages. RSUH is the only institution in Russia in which a curriculum of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics (along with fundamental linguistic disciplines) also includes practical courses of Oriental languages, as well as of ancient and rare languages, which creates unique conditions for the training of typologists, that is, specialists in studying the causes and forms of linguistic diversity, who feel at home with “exotic” language material and are able to apply this material for systematic study of language universalia .
The main task of the Center is to provide an academic and educational training of typologists. The need for specialists in linguistic typology is becoming increasingly apparent in connection with the promotion of the typology to one of the central places in linguistics, which is manifested both in the expansion of international academic and educational typological programs and in the growth of the organizational and financial independence of typologists.
In January 1994, the International Association for Linguistic Typology was founded, and, since 1997, the prestigious international publishing house Mouton de Gruyter has been publishing the journal Linguistic Typology.
Meanwhile, at present, in Russia there is no educational institutions that could provide for the systematic training of such specialists and the activities of the Center are aimed at filling this academic gap.
