Juris Baldunčikas

In memoriam Juris Baldunčikas194 Regina Kvašytė In memoriam Juris Baldunčikas (1950-11-29–2022-07-27) L duncik). In 1977, Juris Baldunčiks graduated from the Department of English Language and Literature of the Faculty of Foreign Languages of the Latvian State University. He worked as a junior (1978–1986) and senior (1986–1989) researcher at the Institute of Language and Literature of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, was deputy director of the Institute for scientific matters (1990–1992), deputy director of the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the Latvian Academy of Sciences for scientific activities (1992–1993), project manager and lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy of the University of Latvia (1995–1997). In 1997 he started working at Ventspils University, where he headed the Department of English Studies, and later until 2014 – the Centre of Applied Linguistics. J. Baldunčikas taught English language stylistics and lexicology, terminology, lexicography, sociolinguistics, translation, etc., supervised bachelor and master’s theses, as well as doctoral theses. On the basis of his dissertation, which he defended in 1983, J. Baldunčiks prepared a monograph Anglicismi latviešu valodā (Anglicisms in Latvian; 1989), in which he summarized data on English borrowings and their first recordings in Latvian sources. He published scientific publications (mainly on the history of the Latvian language and language culture, terminology, language contacts, translations) in various fields (nautical, sports, linguistics, law, etc.). Photo by Edgars Zviedrāns from commons.wikimedia.org. 195Terminology | 2022 | 29 terminology and history of terminology. He has compiled 13 dictionaries, including Svešvārdu vārdnīca (International Dictionary of Words; 1999), and has also led and carried out significant research projects, for example on the development of dictionaries in Latvia from 1991 to 2010 (Vārdnīcu izstrāde Latvijā: 1991–2010; 2012). J. Baldunčikas was well-known in Lithuania – linguists, especially terminologists, were interested in his research. He has participated in several conferences, from 2013 to 2021 he was a member of the editorial board of the journal Terminology. As one of the important factors – the need for the Baltic peoples to have a harmonized terminology – J. Baldunčikas highlighted in an interview with the magazine Gimtoji kalba (2015, No. 12), where he spoke about the terminology situation in Latvia and about issues relevant to Latvian and Lithuanian terminologists. At that time – from 2013 to 2015 – he was the Chairman of the Terminology Commission of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. In addition to his achievements in scientific activities, I would like to mention his ability to critically assess the situation and find a logical, reasoned and correct solution in complex situations, as well as his characteristic sense of humor. He is also known for his love of sports (especially basketball) and his favorite rock band, The Beatles. He was a real erudite, with whom it was interesting and pleasant to communicate – he did not spare practical advice to everyone who asked for it, surprised with his diligence and respect and humanity in communicating with everyone. One cannot disagree with the thought expressed in the obituary of colleagues that he was one of us… Let’s thank fate for the opportunity given us to walk the path of science together with J. Baldunčikas, to know him and communicate with him, and when he went to Anapilin – let’s wish each other to study his works and rely on them. Regina Kvašytė