Noam Chomsky’s wife says reports of famed linguist’s death are false

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
19 Jun 2024 13:04

After reports of Noam Chomsky's death circulated, his wife responded saying "No, it is false."

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Noam Chomsky stands during a press conference to support the Gaza-bound flotilla in the port of Gaza City on October 20, 2012. (AP)

Noam Chomsky’s wife, Valeria Wasserman Chomsky, refuted reports on Tuesday that the famed linguist and activist had passed away.

In response to an emailed query from the Associated Press (AP), she wrote "No, it is false."

Chomsky (95) was hospitalized in Brazil after suffering from a stroke a year ago, his wife told AP last week. However, Beneficência Portuguesa Hospital in Sao Paulo stated in a release that the academic was discharged on Tuesday to resume his treatment at home.

Chomsky was trending on X due to false reports of his death circulating earlier on Tuesday. Jacobin and The New Statesman initially published obituaries for Chomsky, with Jacobin later changing its headline from “We Remember Noam Chomsky” to “Let’s Celebrate Noam Chomsky.”

The New Statesman removed its report by former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis altogether. Brazilian news site Diario do Centro do Mundo also retracted its story announcing Chomsky’s death and issued a correction.

Noam Chomsky, widely recognized for his critiques of US foreign policy, was a longtime faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In 2017, he began teaching at the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Chomsky initially gained prominence in the 1950s with his groundbreaking theory that the capacity for structured language is innate. He has since become a prominent activist, advocating on various issues including US intervention in Vietnam and the world, as well as labor rights and environmental concerns.