Christian Schweigaard Stang
Encyclopedia
Christian Schweigaard Stang (15 March 1900 – 2 July 1977) was a Norwegian linguist, Slavicist and Balticist, professor
in Balto-Slavic languages
at the University of Oslo
from 1938 until shortly before his death. He specialized in the study of the Lithuanian language
and was highly regarded in Lithuania
.
as a son of politician and academic Fredrik Stang
(1867–1941) and his wife Caroline Schweigaard (1871–1900). He was a grandson of Emil Stang
and Christian Homann Schweigaard
, and a nephew of Emil Stang, Jr. He grew up in Kristiania and took his examen artium
1918 at Frogner school.
in comparative Indo-European linguistics in 1927, and his Ph.D. in 1929. Subsequently he was the University Fellow in comparative Indo-European linguistics for the period 1928-33. From 1938 to 1970 he was professor of Slavonic languages at the University of Oslo. He served as the dean of the Faculty of Humanities from 1958 to 1960.
Stang was recognized as the leading international expert on Slavic Language learning, on the Baltic-Slavonic comparative linguistics, as well as Lithuanian during his period of study. One of Stang's most noted works was "Vergleichende Grammatik der baltischen Sprachen" (in English "Comparative Grammar of the Baltic languages") published in 1966. In addition to his monumental comparative grammar from 1966, his work on the Baltic and Slavonic verb convincingly demonstrated the close historical connections and interrelationships among the Baltic, Slavonic languages and Germanic languages. In his work on Slavonic accents from 1952, he noted that the Slav and Baltic accent system originally had been identical and that the differences are due to later, secondary changes.. His research on Balto-Slavic comparative accentology culminated with work Slavonic Accentuation (Oslo, 1957) which, according to Kortlandt
, "...marked an era in the study of the subject. The importance of this book can hardly be overestimated." Stang proved in this work that
Furthermore he demonstrated that
In this way Stang replaced the classical doctrine, which derived the stress pattern of a paradigm from the intonations of the root vowel and the ending, by a doctrine which derives the intonation of the root vowel, when accented, from the stress pattern of the paradigm.
Stang also published several important contributions to comparative Indo-European linguistics. His contributions include Stang's law
, a Proto-Indo-European language
phonological
rule which was named after the Norwegian linguist.
from 1932, as well as the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
and the Royal Swedish Society of Sciences in Uppsala
. He was praeces and vice praeces (the position alternates) of the former organization between 1964 and 1971. He was decorated as a Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1970. He died in July 1977 in Kirkenes
.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
in Balto-Slavic languages
Balto-Slavic languages
The Balto-Slavic language group traditionally comprises Baltic and Slavic languages, belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. Baltic and Slavic languages share several linguistic traits not found in any other Indo-European branch, which points to the period of common development...
at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
from 1938 until shortly before his death. He specialized in the study of the Lithuanian language
Lithuanian language
Lithuanian is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to Latvian, although they...
and was highly regarded in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
.
Early life
He was born in KristianiaOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
as a son of politician and academic Fredrik Stang
Fredrik Stang
Fredrik Stang was the Norwegian Minister of Justice 1912–1913. He was chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee 1922–1940.-Personal life:He was born in Kristiania as the son of Emil Stang and his wife Adelaide Pauline Berg...
(1867–1941) and his wife Caroline Schweigaard (1871–1900). He was a grandson of Emil Stang
Emil Stang
Emil Stang was a Norwegian jurist and politician. He became Prime Minister of Norway and was the first chairman of the Conservative Party....
and Christian Homann Schweigaard
Christian Homann Schweigaard
Christian Homann Schweigaard was a Norwegian Supreme Court lawyer and politician . He was prime minister in "April the Ministry" in 1884...
, and a nephew of Emil Stang, Jr. He grew up in Kristiania and took his examen artium
Examen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
1918 at Frogner school.
Career
He received his magister degreeMagister (degree)
Magister is an academic degree used in various systems of higher education.-Argentina:...
in comparative Indo-European linguistics in 1927, and his Ph.D. in 1929. Subsequently he was the University Fellow in comparative Indo-European linguistics for the period 1928-33. From 1938 to 1970 he was professor of Slavonic languages at the University of Oslo. He served as the dean of the Faculty of Humanities from 1958 to 1960.
Stang was recognized as the leading international expert on Slavic Language learning, on the Baltic-Slavonic comparative linguistics, as well as Lithuanian during his period of study. One of Stang's most noted works was "Vergleichende Grammatik der baltischen Sprachen" (in English "Comparative Grammar of the Baltic languages") published in 1966. In addition to his monumental comparative grammar from 1966, his work on the Baltic and Slavonic verb convincingly demonstrated the close historical connections and interrelationships among the Baltic, Slavonic languages and Germanic languages. In his work on Slavonic accents from 1952, he noted that the Slav and Baltic accent system originally had been identical and that the differences are due to later, secondary changes.. His research on Balto-Slavic comparative accentology culminated with work Slavonic Accentuation (Oslo, 1957) which, according to Kortlandt
Frederik Kortlandt
Frederik Herman Henri Kortlandt is a professor of descriptive and comparative linguistics at Leiden University in the Netherlands. He is an expert on Baltic and Slavic languages, the Indo-European languages in general, and Proto-Indo-European, though he has also published studies of languages in...
, "...marked an era in the study of the subject. The importance of this book can hardly be overestimated." Stang proved in this work that
- de Saussure's law did not operate in Slavic
- the neoacute is due to a retraction of the ictus from a stressed jerYerThe letter yer of the Cyrillic alphabet, also spelled jer or er, is known as the hard sign in the modern Russian and Rusyn alphabets and as er golyam in the Bulgarian alphabet...
or from a non-initial vowel with falling intonation - the neo-circumflex was not the result of a Common Slavic development
Furthermore he demonstrated that
- the acute is restricted to paradigms with fixed stress
- the neoacute is characteristic of paradigms where the next syllable is stressed in other forms
- the circumflex occurs on the first syllable of paradigms with final stress in other forms
In this way Stang replaced the classical doctrine, which derived the stress pattern of a paradigm from the intonations of the root vowel and the ending, by a doctrine which derives the intonation of the root vowel, when accented, from the stress pattern of the paradigm.
Stang also published several important contributions to comparative Indo-European linguistics. His contributions include Stang's law
Stang's law
Stang's law is a Proto-Indo-European phonological rule named after Norwegian linguist Christian Stang. The law governs the word-final sequences of a vowel, followed by a laryngeal or a semivowel */y/ or */w/, followed by a nasal, and according to the law those sequences are simplified in a way that...
, a Proto-Indo-European language
Proto-Indo-European language
The Proto-Indo-European language is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European languages, spoken by the Proto-Indo-Europeans...
phonological
Proto-Indo-European phonology
The phonology of the Proto-Indo-European language has been reconstructed by linguists, based on the similarities and differences among current and extinct Indo-European languages...
rule which was named after the Norwegian linguist.
Recognition
He was a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and LettersNorwegian Academy of Science and Letters
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters is a learned society based in Oslo, Norway.-History:The University of Oslo was established in 1811. The idea of a learned society in Christiania surfaced for the first time in 1841. The city of Throndhjem had no university, but had a learned...
from 1932, as well as the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters is a Danish non-governmental science Academy, founded 13 November 1742 by permission of the King Christian VI, as a historical Collegium Antiquitatum...
and the Royal Swedish Society of Sciences in Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
. He was praeces and vice praeces (the position alternates) of the former organization between 1964 and 1971. He was decorated as a Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1970. He died in July 1977 in Kirkenes
Kirkenes
is a town in the municipality of Sør-Varanger in the county of Finnmark in the far northeast of Norway...
.