Masayoshi “Matt” Shibatani is the Deedee McMurtry Professor Emeritus of Linguistics at Rice University and an emeritus professor at Kobe University, specializing in linguistic theory, syntax, and language typology. In addition to his native Japanese, he has studied Ainu, Korean, Cebuano (Philippines), Atayal (Taiwan), Balinese, Sasak, and Sumbawa (Indonesia). Since retiring from teaching in 2021, he has focused on fieldwork in India (Assamese and several Dravidian languages), northern Thailand (Akha, Lahu, Lisu, Hmong, and Iu Mien), Hainan Island, China (Limgao, Hlai, Cham, and Hainan Yao), Yunnan, China (Naxi, Bai, and Hmong), and, most recently, Brazil (Tukanoan and Baniwa).