Former RAE Director José Manuel Blecua Dies at 86
José Manuel Blecua, the former director of the Royal Spanish Academy and a pioneering figure in modernizing the study of the Spanish language, has passed away at the age of 86.
Spanish culture is mourning the loss of José Manuel Blecua, a leading figure in the study and preservation of the Spanish language. The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) announced that Blecua has passed away at the age of 86. His legacy goes beyond his academic achievements, as he was a key force in modernizing lexicography and language education. His career, defined by a passion for teaching and a forward-thinking approach to technology in philology, was essential to the evolution of the RAE in the 21st century.
Blecua served as director of the RAE from 2011 to 2014, a time during which he also led the Association of Spanish Language Academies (ASALE) and the board of Fundéu. He was known for his technical precision, most notably in his work on the New Grammar of the Spanish Language, where he coordinated the volume on phonetics and phonology. This commitment to linguistic accuracy was developed over decades of teaching at the University of Barcelona and the Autonomous University of Barcelona—where he founded the Seminar on Philology and Informatics—as well as through his international work in Mexico and the United States.
Beyond his institutional roles, Blecua was a dedicated communicator. He helped draft the first style guide for La Vanguardia and appeared on television programs like Hablando claro, showing his commitment to sharing academic knowledge with the general public. His many publications, including dictionaries of synonyms and grammatical reference books co-authored with Juan Alcina, remain essential tools for generations of scholars.
Blecua’s work earned him widespread recognition. He received the Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X the Wise, the Creu de Sant Jordi, and the Aragonese Letters Prize, among other honors. He was also awarded honorary doctorates and received recognition from Spanish language academies in Venezuela, Guatemala, Chile, and Paraguay.
After joining the RAE in 2006, Blecua served as academic director of the Instituto Cervantes and played a vital role in organizing the International Congresses of the Spanish Language. With his passing, we lose a scholar who successfully bridged the gap between classical tradition and the digital age, helping us understand Spanish as a living, evolving, and shared language.