The academic community of Sofia University "Saint Kliment Ohridski" is devastated by the sudden loss of Assoc. Dr. Viktor Atanasov Todorov, a longtime teacher in the department of "Arabic Studies and Semitology"; to the Faculty of Classical and New Philologies. The respected scientist and teacher died on September 18, 2024 after a short illness, leaving behind a rich scientific legacy and an indelible mark in the hearts of colleagues and students.
Born on June 5, 1963 in Sofia, Viktor Todorov grew up in a family with Hungarian and Bulgarian roots, which predetermined his interest in languages and linguistics. From an early age, he showed a special affinity for non-Indo-European languages, which later led him to major in "Arabics" at Alma Mater.
Assoc. Todorov's academic career is marked by remarkable achievements. In 1996, he defended his dissertation on the topic "Definiteness/indefiniteness in the Bulgarian and Arabic languages", and in 2007 he was elected associate professor with a habilitation thesis "Word change in ancient Semitic languages". This work, published by the "Saint Kliment Ohridski" University Publishing House, marks a new stage in the development of his scientific interests.
Associate Professor Todorov's research activity is distinguished by a unique combination of classical Arabic linguistics and the comparative linguistics approach to Semitic languages. He is the author of the lecture course "Introduction to Semito-Hamitic Linguistics" - a compulsory discipline in the specialty "Arabic Studies", of which he has been a holder for the past decades.
His latest monograph "Monophone word- and form-forming formants in Semitic languages: an etymological analysis", published in 2022, confirms his position as a leading expert in the field of comparative Semitic linguistics. In addition, Prof. Todorov holds the key discipline "Morphology of the Arabic language" in the curriculum of the specialty "Arabic Studies".
Associate Professor Todorov's scientific interests cover a wide range of topics, including word change in ancient Semitic languages, problems of etymological analysis, grammatical categories in Semitic languages, and the ergative construction of Proto-Afroasiatic languages. He is among the authors of the only Bulgarian Arabic language textbook for students, leaving a lasting mark on the education of future Arabists.
In addition to being an outstanding scientist, Associate Professor Todorov was also a talented editor who contributed to the popularization of Bulgarian literature abroad. Among the translations he has edited are the English versions of novels such as "Shelter of Time" of Georgi Gospodinov and "Haika za valtsi" of Ivaylo Petrov.
Viktor Todorov's multifaceted personality is complemented by his passion for music. He was not only an enthusiastic rock record collector, but also an active musician, composer and songwriter. In the last years of his life, he released three albums with the band Splendor and Misery, leaving his mark on the music world as well.
"With the death of Assoc. Dr. Viktor Todorov, the department of "Arabics and Semitology" and the academic Arabist community, and in a more general sense, the Bulgarian linguistic science, lost a rare and irreplaceable specialist, a close colleague, a beloved teacher and a dear friend. Tribute to his bright memory!", says the condolence from the academic community of the Sofia University "Saint Kliment Ohridski".
The loss of Assoc. Dr. Victor Todorov leaves a gap in Bulgarian linguistics and Arabic studies that will be difficult to fill. His contributions to science and education, as well as his warmth as a colleague and friend, will be long remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing and working with him.