Jean-François Le Gonidec
Encyclopedia
Jean François Marie Le Gonidec de Kerdaniel (4 September 1775 - 12 October 1838) was a Breton grammarian who codified the Breton language
.
He played an important role in the history of his native language by initiating a reform of its orthography
, producing an orderly grammar and making the first Breton translation of the New Testament
. He is sometimes called "Reizher ar brezhoneg" (Restorer of the Breton language).
to a family of the petty nobility
. He studied in the college at Tréguier
from 1787 to 1791. After the French Revolution
he participated in the Royalist Catholic uprising known as the Chouannerie
. After 1804, he joined Napoleon's Naval administration (Marine de guerre), and was commissioned to administer the forests with a view to manage the production of wood for ship building. He lived in several towns: Paris
, Hambourg, Nancy and Moulins
, settling in Angoulême
where he lived for many years.
He occupied his spare time reforming the orthography of Breton and the codification of its grammar. In 1807, he published a grammaire celto-bretonne (Grammar of Breton Celtic) which sought to delineate the syntactical system of the language. It was the second notable work of its type after Father Julien Maunoir's 1657 grammar published by the Sacré Collège de Jésus. Le Gonidec wished to purify Breton, minimising French loan words used in vernacular speech and clarifying its relationship to its closest relative Welsh
.
He became a member of the short-lived Académie celtique, founded in Paris in 1803, which was soon renamed the Societé des Antiquaires de France
. In 1821, he published a Dictionnaire celto-breton. In 1833, he moved to Paris and joined the Compagnie des Assurances générales, founded by a fellow Breton. In 1837, he produced a Dictionnaire français-breton. He died in the following year. The second edition of his Grammaire celto-bretonne was published shortly after his death.
He was buried in Brittany, in the cemetery of Lochrist, near his birthplace of Le Conquet, Finistère
. The tomb was erected by Welsh and Breton admirers. It is surmonted by a monument carrying inscriptions in Welsh and French.
However he was unable to obtain official Catholic support for his translation of the New Testament. It was only published in 1827 under the auspices of the British and Foreign Bible Society
, who had been lobbied to support Le Gonidec by the champion of Welsh language
publications, Thomas Price
(known as "Carnhuanawc"). The resulting "Protestant" translation was placed on the Index of Banned Books
by the Catholic Church.
, founded modern Breton literature. Several clerical scholars also followed his path.
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
.
He played an important role in the history of his native language by initiating a reform of its orthography
Orthography
The orthography of a language specifies a standardized way of using a specific writing system to write the language. Where more than one writing system is used for a language, for example Kurdish, Uyghur, Serbian or Inuktitut, there can be more than one orthography...
, producing an orderly grammar and making the first Breton translation of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. He is sometimes called "Reizher ar brezhoneg" (Restorer of the Breton language).
Life
Le Gonidec was born in Le ConquetLe Conquet
Le Conquet is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.-Geography:Le Conquet is a fishing port in the northwest of Brittany...
to a family of the petty nobility
Petty nobility
Petty nobility is dated at least back to 13th century and was formed by Nobles/Knights around their strategic interests. The idea was more capable peasants with leader roles in local community that were given tax exemption for taking care of services like for example guard duties of local primitive...
. He studied in the college at Tréguier
Tréguier
Tréguier is a port town in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. It is the capital of the province of Trégor.-Geography:Tréguier is located 36 m. N.W. of Saint-Brieuc by road. The port is situated about 5½ m...
from 1787 to 1791. After the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
he participated in the Royalist Catholic uprising known as the Chouannerie
Chouannerie
The Chouannerie was a royalist uprising in twelve of the western departements of France, particularly in the provinces of Brittany and Maine, against the French Revolution, the First French Republic, and even, with its headquarters in London rather than France, for a time, under the Empire...
. After 1804, he joined Napoleon's Naval administration (Marine de guerre), and was commissioned to administer the forests with a view to manage the production of wood for ship building. He lived in several towns: 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...
, Hambourg, Nancy and Moulins
Moulins
Moulins or Moulin may refer to:-People:*Jean-François-Auguste Moulin, politician in the French Revolution*Jean Moulin, member of the French Resistance during World War II*Pierre Du Moulin, Huguenot minister and author in France...
, settling in Angoulême
Angoulême
-Main sights:In place of its ancient fortifications, Angoulême is encircled by boulevards above the old city walls, known as the Remparts, from which fine views may be obtained in all directions. Within the town the streets are often narrow. Apart from the cathedral and the hôtel de ville, the...
where he lived for many years.
He occupied his spare time reforming the orthography of Breton and the codification of its grammar. In 1807, he published a grammaire celto-bretonne (Grammar of Breton Celtic) which sought to delineate the syntactical system of the language. It was the second notable work of its type after Father Julien Maunoir's 1657 grammar published by the Sacré Collège de Jésus. Le Gonidec wished to purify Breton, minimising French loan words used in vernacular speech and clarifying its relationship to its closest relative Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
.
He became a member of the short-lived Académie celtique, founded in Paris in 1803, which was soon renamed the Societé des Antiquaires de France
Societé des Antiquaires de France
The Société des Antiquaires de France is a Parisian historical and archaeological society, founded in 1804 under the name of the Académie celtique...
. In 1821, he published a Dictionnaire celto-breton. In 1833, he moved to Paris and joined the Compagnie des Assurances générales, founded by a fellow Breton. In 1837, he produced a Dictionnaire français-breton. He died in the following year. The second edition of his Grammaire celto-bretonne was published shortly after his death.
He was buried in Brittany, in the cemetery of Lochrist, near his birthplace of Le Conquet, Finistère
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
. The tomb was erected by Welsh and Breton admirers. It is surmonted by a monument carrying inscriptions in Welsh and French.
Biblical translations
Le Gonidec's greatest ambition was to translate the Bible into Breton, having seen the powerful effect of a Welsh translation in maintaining the Welsh language. Seeking the support of the Catholic Church, in 1821 he published a Katekiz historik (historic Catechism) which was approved.However he was unable to obtain official Catholic support for his translation of the New Testament. It was only published in 1827 under the auspices of the British and Foreign Bible Society
British and Foreign Bible Society
The British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply as Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world....
, who had been lobbied to support Le Gonidec by the champion of Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
publications, Thomas Price
Thomas Price (Carnhuanawc)
Reverend Thomas Price was a historian and a major Welsh literary figure of the early 19th century....
(known as "Carnhuanawc"). The resulting "Protestant" translation was placed on the Index of Banned Books
Index Librorum Prohibitorum
The Index Librorum Prohibitorum was a list of publications prohibited by the Catholic Church. A first version was promulgated by Pope Paul IV in 1559, and a revised and somewhat relaxed form was authorized at the Council of Trent...
by the Catholic Church.
Influence
The influence of Le Gonidec's work in Brittany was enormous, since his reforms allowed the creation of a "literary" Breton. They were adopted immediately by Théodore Hersart de la Villemarqué (1815–1895) and Auguste Brizeux (1803–1858), whose works, especially the former's Barzaz BreizBarzaz Breiz
Barzaz Breiz is a collection of Breton popular songs collected by Théodore Hersart de la Villemarqué and published in 1839. It was compiled from oral tradition and preserves traditional folk tales, legends and music...
, founded modern Breton literature. Several clerical scholars also followed his path.