Hans Georg Conon von der Gabelentz
Encyclopedia
Hans Georg Conon von der Gabelentz (16 March 1840 - 11 December 1893) was a German general linguist
and sinologist. His Chinesische Grammatik (1881), according to a critic, "remains until today recognized as probably the finest overall grammatical survey of the Classical Chinese
language to date." (Harbsmeier 1995:333)
Gabelentz was born in Poschwitz, near Altenburg
, Saxe-Altenburg
. His father was the more renowned minister and linguist Hans Conon von der Gabelentz
, an authority of the Manchu language
. Gabelentz taught himself Dutch
, Italian
and Chinese
during his gymnasium
years.
From 1860 to 1864, following his father's steps, he studied law, administration, and linguistics at Jena
. In 1864 he entered the civil service of Saxony
at Dresden
. He continued his study of oriental languages at Leipzig
. He married Alexandra von Rothkirch in 1872. His father Hans died at the family castle of Lemnitz
in 1874.
Gabelentz earned his doctoral from Dresden in 1876 with a translation of Zhou Dunyi's Taiji Tushuo (太極圖說 "Explaining taiji
"). In 1878, a Professorship of Far Eastern Languages, the first of its kind in the German-speaking world, was created at the University of Leipzig
, and Gabelentz was invited to fill it. Among his students were the German sinologists Wilhelm Grube
(1855–1908) and Johann Jakob Maria de Groot (1854–1921), the Austrian sinologist Arthur von Rosthorn (1862–1945), the japanologist Karl Florenz (1865–1939), the archaeologist Max Uhle
(1856–1944), the tibetologist
Heinrich Wenzel and the art historian
Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Müller (1863–1930).
In 1889, he divorced, and switched to the University of Berlin. In 1891, he remarried, and published Die Sprachwissenschaft ("Linguistics"). His Handbuch zur Aufnahme fremder Sprachen followed one year later.
Theoretical linguistics
Theoretical linguistics is the branch of linguistics that is most concerned with developing models of linguistic knowledge. The fields that are generally considered the core of theoretical linguistics are syntax, phonology, morphology, and semantics...
and sinologist. His Chinesische Grammatik (1881), according to a critic, "remains until today recognized as probably the finest overall grammatical survey of the Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any modern spoken form of Chinese...
language to date." (Harbsmeier 1995:333)
Gabelentz was born in Poschwitz, near Altenburg
Altenburg
Altenburg is a town in the German federal state of Thuringia, 45 km south of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district.-Geography:...
, Saxe-Altenburg
Saxe-Altenburg
Saxe-Altenburg was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine branch of the Wettin dynasty in present-day Thuringia.-History:The duchy originated from the medieval Burgraviate of Altenburg in the Imperial Pleissnerland , a possession of the Wettin Margraves of Meissen since 1243...
. His father was the more renowned minister and linguist Hans Conon von der Gabelentz
Hans Conon von der Gabelentz
Hans Conon von der Gabelentz was a German linguistic researcher and authority on the Manchu language. He was prime minister of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg from 1848 to 1849.- Life :...
, an authority of the Manchu language
Manchu language
Manchu is a Tungusic endangered language spoken in Northeast China; it used to be the language of the Manchu, though now most Manchus speak Mandarin Chinese and there are fewer than 70 native speakers of Manchu out of a total of nearly 10 million ethnic Manchus...
. Gabelentz taught himself Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
during his gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
years.
From 1860 to 1864, following his father's steps, he studied law, administration, and linguistics at Jena
Jena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
. In 1864 he entered the civil service of Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
at Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. He continued his study of oriental languages at Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. He married Alexandra von Rothkirch in 1872. His father Hans died at the family castle of Lemnitz
Lemnitz
Lemnitz is a municipality in Saale-Orla-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany, on the brink of the Thuringian Forest.-Notable people:*Albert Abicht -politician...
in 1874.
Gabelentz earned his doctoral from Dresden in 1876 with a translation of Zhou Dunyi's Taiji Tushuo (太極圖說 "Explaining taiji
Taiji
Taiji 太極 is a Chinese cosmological term for the "Supreme Ultimate" state of undifferentiated absolute and infinite potentiality, contrasted with the Wuji 無極 "Without Ultimate"...
"). In 1878, a Professorship of Far Eastern Languages, the first of its kind in the German-speaking world, was created at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
, and Gabelentz was invited to fill it. Among his students were the German sinologists Wilhelm Grube
Wilhelm Grube
Wilhelm Grube was a German sinologist and ethnographer. He is particularly known for his work on Tungusic languages and the Jurchen language.-Biography:Grube was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 1855...
(1855–1908) and Johann Jakob Maria de Groot (1854–1921), the Austrian sinologist Arthur von Rosthorn (1862–1945), the japanologist Karl Florenz (1865–1939), the archaeologist Max Uhle
Max Uhle
Max Uhle was a German archaeologist, whose work in Peru, Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia at the turn of the Twentieth Century had a significant impact on the practice of archaeology of South America....
(1856–1944), the tibetologist
Tibetology
Tibetology refers to the study of things related to Tibet, including its history, religion, language, politics and the collection of Tibetan articles of historical, cultural and religious significance...
Heinrich Wenzel and the art historian
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Müller (1863–1930).
In 1889, he divorced, and switched to the University of Berlin. In 1891, he remarried, and published Die Sprachwissenschaft ("Linguistics"). His Handbuch zur Aufnahme fremder Sprachen followed one year later.
External links
Hans Georg Conon von der Gabelentz (1840-1893), Christina Leibfried, Universität Leipzig- Sinologists: Georg von der Gabelentz, the University of Massachusetts Amherst