Ladislav Zgusta
Ladislav Zgusta was a Czech-American historical linguist, lexicologist, and lexicographer, who wrote one of the first textbooks on lexicography. After working as a laborer and a railroad employee in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, Zgusta earned two doctorates from Czech universities. Threatened with detention during the Prague Spring, his family escaped to the United States through India while posing as tourists, with assistance from the American embassy in New Delhi and the support of his colleagues in the United States.
Upon his arrival in the United States in 1970, Zgusta found a great deal of assistance from his contemporaries, who helped launch his career there and landed him in a tenured position after less than four years. He held temporary positions at Cornell University and the University of Texas during his first year in the United States, then moved to the University of Illinois that same year; he remained there until his retirement in 1995. During his career, Zgusta was a founding member of the Dictionary Society of North America, serving as its president from 1983 to 1985.
Upon his arrival in the United States in 1970, Zgusta found a great deal of assistance from his contemporaries, who helped launch his career there and landed him in a tenured position after less than four years. He held temporary positions at Cornell University and the University of Texas during his first year in the United States, then moved to the University of Illinois that same year; he remained there until his retirement in 1995. During his career, Zgusta was a founding member of the Dictionary Society of North America, serving as its president from 1983 to 1985.
