Curt Wittlin
Encyclopedia
Curt Wittlin is a Swiss philologist
and an expert of medieval Catalan
language and literature
.
with Germà Colon
, and later in Paris
, Florence
and Barcelona
. He got his PhD in 1965 with a thesis about the Catalan translation of Brunetto Latini
's Treasure by Guillem de Copons
. He became professor of romance philology and historical linguistics in the University of Saskatchewan
, in Saskatoon
(Canada
) where he arrived in 1967.
He has become specialized in the edition of medieval translations in Europe of texts from Cicero
, Saint Augustine and John of Wales
among others. He has worked also about Ramon Llull
and about the history of the medieval Catalan libraries. Nevertheless, the Catalan writer whom he has been most of his life devoted is Francesc Eiximenis
. Most of the modern editions of Francesc Eiximenis' works have been made by Curt Wittlin. Furthermore, Wittlin has written many studies and articles about Francesc Eiximenis.
In 1997 he became member of the Institute of Catalan Studies and from 1990 to 1993 he was president of the North-American Catalan Society
. In 2000 he received the Creu de Sant Jordi (Saint George cross), a high distinction given by the regional Catalan government.
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
and an expert of medieval Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
language and literature
Catalan literature
Catalan literature is the name conventionally used to refer to literature written in the Catalan language. The Catalan literary tradition is extensive, starting in the Middle Ages....
.
Biography
Wittlin studied romance philology in BaselBasel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
with Germà Colon
Germà Colon
Germà Colón i Doménech is a notable philologist of romance philology and Catalan lexicology. He was appointed a professor at the University of Basel, in Switzerland.- Biography :...
, and later in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. He got his PhD in 1965 with a thesis about the Catalan translation of Brunetto Latini
Brunetto Latini
Brunetto Latini was an Italian philosopher, scholar and statesman.-Life:...
's Treasure by Guillem de Copons
Guillem de Copons
Guillem de Copons was a writer and diplomat, possibly of Valencian origin, that made some translations into Catalan from some important ancient Greece, ancient Rome and the European Middle Ages literary works....
. He became professor of romance philology and historical linguistics in the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
, in Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
(Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) where he arrived in 1967.
He has become specialized in the edition of medieval translations in Europe of texts from Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, Saint Augustine and John of Wales
John of Wales
John of Wales, OFM , a.k.a. John Waleys and Johannes Guallensis, was a Franciscan theologian who wrote several well-received Latin works, primarily preaching aids, in Oxford and Paris in the late-thirteenth century....
among others. He has worked also about Ramon Llull
Ramon Llull
Ramon Llull was a Majorcan writer and philosopher, logician and tertiary Franciscan. He wrote the first major work of Catalan literature. Recently-surfaced manuscripts show him to have anticipated by several centuries prominent work on elections theory...
and about the history of the medieval Catalan libraries. Nevertheless, the Catalan writer whom he has been most of his life devoted is Francesc Eiximenis
Francesc Eiximenis
Francesc Eiximenis was a Franciscan Catalan writer that lived in the XIVth century Crown of Aragon. He was possibly one of the medieval Catalan writers that had more success, since his works were widely read, copied, published and translated. Therefore, it can be said tat both in the literary and...
. Most of the modern editions of Francesc Eiximenis' works have been made by Curt Wittlin. Furthermore, Wittlin has written many studies and articles about Francesc Eiximenis.
In 1997 he became member of the Institute of Catalan Studies and from 1990 to 1993 he was president of the North-American Catalan Society
North-American Catalan Society
The North American Catalan Society or NACS is a professional association that joins all the researchers, students and all the people in general, specially in the United States and Canada, that show or have interest in any aspect of the culture from the Catalan Countries and the Catalan language...
. In 2000 he received the Creu de Sant Jordi (Saint George cross), a high distinction given by the regional Catalan government.
Works
- Lo llibre de les dones d'EiximenisFrancesc EiximenisFrancesc Eiximenis was a Franciscan Catalan writer that lived in the XIVth century Crown of Aragon. He was possibly one of the medieval Catalan writers that had more success, since his works were widely read, copied, published and translated. Therefore, it can be said tat both in the literary and...
(1980) with F. Naccarato - Repertori d'expressions multinominals i de grups de sinònims en traduccions catalanes antigues (Nicolau d'Olwer price, 1989)
- La geometria secreta del tapís de Girona in Revista de GironaRevista de GironaRevista de Girona is a magazine that was created in 1955 in Girona. Its aim is to foster the cultural and scientific research works about the Girona territory. It has also the aim of furnishing the Girona culture of a tool that helps to record its present, and that helps it to go towards the...
, 1991 - De la traducció literal a la creació literària (Serra d'OrSerra d'OrSerra d'Or is a Catalan magazine that appeared in October 1959. It was promoted by a group of university students, and was published by the Montserrat abbey press, with a monthly circulation of 8.000 copies.- Origins :...
prize 1996) - Entorn de les edicions de textos medievals in Estudis RomànicsEstudis RomànicsThe review Estudis Romànics was founded in 1947 by Ramon Aramon i Serra.Since 2000 it is directed by Antoni Badia i Margarit, emeritus member of the Philological Section of the IEC, who has the collaboration of the Editing Comitee, and the advice of the Scientific Council.The Estudis Romànics are...
, 2004