A gratuate in Bulgarian Studies at St Clement of Ohrid Sofia University, where he obtained his PhD degree. The title of habilitated doctor he obtained in Poland.

Petar Sotirov had held positions at the University of Sofia (1986–1996), the University of Debrecen (Hungary, 1996–2000) and since 2000 – at the Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin.

In the period of 2001–2017 he was the Head of the UMCS Department of Slavic Linguistics.

Since 2012 Prof. Sotirov is the Editor-in-Chief and co-founder of the Cyrillo-Methodian Papers academic journal.

Fields of research

- sociolinguistics (language and linguistic behavior of migrants, the linguistic situation of national minorities, colloquial language)

- ethnolinguistics (semantics of cultural concepts)

- Bulgarian language teaching abroad

Latest monographs and selected articles:

2018

Петър Сотиров, „Новият лингвистичен ред“ в България и преподаването на българския език в чужбина, “O R B I S   L I N G U A R U M“,   V O L U M E 16 , I S S U E   167, с. 67-73. ISS N 1312 – 0484; 

Петър Сотиров, За един новооткрит източникна сведения за българите от Егейска Македония, В: Българският език – древен, съвременен, единен, ред. Мария Китанова, София: Институт за български език „проф. Любомир Андрейчин“, Македонски научен институт, 2018, с. 32-39. ISBN 978-954-2977-46-9; 

Петър Сотиров, Съвременните процеси, тенденции и промени в полския език – поглед отвътре и отвън, Balkanistic Forum, 3, 2018, s. 52-62. ISSN 1310 – 3970; 

Petar Sotirov, 2018, Bałkany jako teren odwiecznych kontaktów językowych, [w:] Małgorzata Posturzyńska-Bosko, Piotr Sorbet (red.) SCRIPTA MANENT. Badania diachroniczne w Polsce V, Wyd. UMCS, 2018, s. 161-176, ISBN 978-83-227-9138-7; 

Петър Сотиров, За някои функционални различия по отношение на лексиката в българския и в полския език, [w:] Sociolinguistic Issues ХIII: Social Processes and their Impact on Language, International Sociolinguistic Society, Sofia, 2018, s. 172-178 ISSN 1314-5401; ISBN 978-954-8305-52

2019:

Petar Sotirov, Uwagi redaktorskie po opublikowaniu  tomu HONOR Leksykonu aksjologicznego Słowian i ich sąsiadów, [w:] Stanisława Niebrzegowska-Bartmińska, Dorota Pazio – Wlazłowska (red.) Wartości w językowo – kulturowym obrazie świata Słowian i ich sąsiadów, Tom 5, wyd. UMCS, Lublin, ISBN 978-83-227-9218-6, s. 65 – 72; 

Petar Sotirov, Gergana Padareva – Ilieva, Pojęcie demokracji w języku bułgarskim (uwagi wstępne), w: Stanosława Niebrzegowska-Bartmińska, Dorota Pazio – Wlazłowska (red.) Wartości w językowo – kulturowym obrazie świata Słowian i ich sąsiadów, Tom 5, wyd. UMCS, Lublin, ISBN 978-83-227-9218-6, s. 235 – 244; 

Петър Сотиров, Идеите и постиженията на люблинската етнолингвистична школа и новите перспективи пред българската лингвистика, Orbis Linguarum (Езиков свят), 2019, с. 39-49  ISSN 1312 – 0484 / ISSN 2603-4026 (Online), Vol. 17, Issue 2; 

Петър Сотиров, Гергана Падарева-Илиева,  Eзиковата картина на понятието ДЕМОКРАЦИЯ в българския медиен дискурс, [w:] S. Niebzregowska-Bartmińska, D. Pazio-Wlazłowska (red.), Wartości w językоwo-kulturowym obrazie świata Słowian i ich sąsiadów. T. 6. Jedność i różnorodności, UMCS, 2019, s. 235-250 ISBN 978-83-227-9296-4.

2020

Sotirov, P. Nauczanie języków słowiańskich w kontekście dziejowych przemian języków bułgarskiego i polskiego, [w:] A. Piotrowicz, M. Witaszek-Samborska, K. Skibski (red.) Kultura komunikacji językowej 6. Kultura komunikacji w dydaktyce, Poznań: Wydawnictwo Nauka i Innowacje, 2020, s. 191-198. ISBN 978-83-6-659-35-5; 

Сотиров, П. За някои българо-полски паралели в областта на разговорната лексика. - Известия на Института за български език, ХХХIII, 72-104. ISSN 0323-9934 (печатно издание) ISSN 2603-3402; 

Сотиров, П., Разговорната лексика за части на човешкото тяло в българския и в полския език. ForeignLanguageTeaching, Volume 47, Number 5, 2020, с. 443-459. ISSN 1314–8508 (Online) ISSN 0205–1834 (Print).

2021

Сотиров, П., Квалификаторът разговорно (potoczne) в полските лексикографски източници. Български език / Bulgarian Language 68 (2021), 2, 82–92; 

Сотиров, П., Разговорната формация като елемент на градската езикова ситуация в българския и в полския научен дискурс. Проблеми на социолингвистиката. Градска култура и езиково разнообразие. XIV (2021), 31–42; [Sotirov, P. Colloquial formation as an element of the urban language situation in Bulgarian and Polish scientific Discourse. Sociolinguistic Issues. Urban Culture and Language Diversity], XIV (2021), 31–42] ISSN 1314-5401.

Invited positions:

1995–present: member of the International Sociolinguistic Society (Sofia, Bulgaria)

2012–present: member of the Editorial board of the Strategies for Policy in Science and Education journal (Sofia, Ministry of Education of Bulgaria)

2014–present: member of the Sociolinguistic Commission of the International Committee of Slavists

2021–present: member of the Editorial Committee of the Papers of the Prof. Lyubomir Andreychin Institute for Bulgarian Language journal (Sofia, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)

Awards and decorations:

2010: Award of the Rector of Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin (individual 2^nd degree) for outstanding organizational achievements

2011: Medal of the Commission of National Education (Polish Ministry of Education)

2012: Medal of the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture for promoting Bulgarian culture abroad

2012: Award of the Rector of Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin (collective 3^rd degree) for outstanding scholarly achievements

2015: Award of the Rector of Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin (individual 2^nd degree) for outstanding scholarly and organizational achievements

2016: Bronze Medal for Long Service (Poland)

2018: Medal of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education in recognition of services for Bulgarian studies

2019: Award of the Rector of Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin (individual 3^rd degree) for outstanding work for the benefit of the University