Martin Luther Chan

Assistant Professor of Hebrew & Jewish Studies
Director of Jewish Studies
Part Time Instructor of Arabic and German


I am a linguist working in ancient and modern Semitic languages and a specialist in the pedagogy of Hebrew and Arabic.

Teaching: At the University of Kentucky, I have taught both Modern & Biblical Hebrew as well as Modern Standard Arabic with the integration of Levantine Arabic. I will also teach German in Fall 2026.

In addition, I teach courses in the academic study of religion, including Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/ Old Testament and courses on Jewish history. 

Research: My main area of research interest is the comparative morphology between Hebrew and Arabic. My second area of interest is the sociolinguistic dynamics of classical Hebrew. 

Background & Languages: Born in Hong Kong and raised in California, I grew up in a bilingual Cantonese-English household. In addition to my work and home languages, I also speak Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Iranian Persian (Farsi). 

 

 

Contact Information
martinluther@uky.edu
1469 Patterson Office Tower
859-218-3723
Education
B.A., English Literature, University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA),  Summa Cum Laude, 2014

M.A., Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), 2014

Ph.D, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), 2019
Research Interests
  • Hebrew and Arabic comparative linguistics
  • Modern Hebrew Pedagogy
  • Arabic-language pedagogy
  • Biblical Hebrew
  • Semitic Languages
  • Hebrew Bible
Affiliations
  • Hebrew and Jewish Studies
  • Arabic & Islamic Studies
  • Modern & Classical Languages Literatures & Cultures
  • Jewish Studies