Jean Louis Burnouf
Encyclopedia
Jean-Louis Burnouf was a French philologist and translator.
The son of a poor weaver
who died early in Burnouf's life, leaving him an orphan, he was admitted to the collège d'Harcourt in Paris
on a scholarship
and in 1792 won its Université prix d'honneur. During the French Revolution
, he made his living as a merchant. Entering the Université in 1808, he was the professor of rhetoric
at the lycée Charlemagne
, and professor of Latin eloquence at the Collège de France
, from 1817 to 1844, then inspector of the Université. He was elected a member of the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres
in 1836.
Jean Louis Burnouf wrote several translations of Latin authors : Sallust
, Tacitus
, Cicero
, Pliny the Younger
. He also translated into Latin Antoine-Léonard Chézy's French version of the Yadjanadatta Badha (Death of Yadjnadatta).
Burnouf was an early student of Sanskrit, which he studied under Alexander Hamilton
. His son was Eugène Burnouf
, and his great-nephew was Émile-Louis Burnouf, both scholars of Indian civilizations. He died aged 68.
The son of a poor weaver
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
who died early in Burnouf's life, leaving him an orphan, he was admitted to the collège d'Harcourt 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...
on a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
and in 1792 won its Université prix d'honneur. During 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 made his living as a merchant. Entering the Université in 1808, he was the professor of rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
at the lycée Charlemagne
Lycée Charlemagne
The Lycée Charlemagne is located in the Marais quarter of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, the capital city of France.Constructed many centuries before it became a lycée, the building originally served as the home of the Order of the Jesuits...
, and professor of Latin eloquence at the Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
, from 1817 to 1844, then inspector of the Université. He was elected a member of the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres
Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
The Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres is a French learned society devoted to the humanities, founded in February 1663 as one of the five academies of the Institut de France.-History:...
in 1836.
Jean Louis Burnouf wrote several translations of Latin authors : Sallust
Sallust
Gaius Sallustius Crispus, generally known simply as Sallust , a Roman historian, belonged to a well-known plebeian family, and was born at Amiternum in the country of the Sabines...
, Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
, 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...
, Pliny the Younger
Pliny the Younger
Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo , better known as Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate him...
. He also translated into Latin Antoine-Léonard Chézy's French version of the Yadjanadatta Badha (Death of Yadjnadatta).
Burnouf was an early student of Sanskrit, which he studied under Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton (linguist)
Alexander Hamilton was a British linguist who was one of the first Europeans to study the Sanskrit language. He taught the language to most of the earliest European scholars of Indo-European linguistics....
. His son was Eugène Burnouf
Eugène Burnouf
Eugène Burnouf was an eminent French scholar and orientalist who made significant contributions to the deciphering of Old Persian cuneiform....
, and his great-nephew was Émile-Louis Burnouf, both scholars of Indian civilizations. He died aged 68.
Publications
- Méthode pour étudier la langue grecque (1813–1814)
- Méthode pour étudier la langue latine (1840–1841)
- Souvenirs de jeunesse, 1792-1796 (1888)
- Jean-Louis Burnouf on French WikisourceWikisourceWikisource is an online digital library of free content textual sources on a wiki, operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. Its aims are to host all forms of free text, in many languages, and translations. Originally conceived as an archive to store useful or important historical texts, it has...