Osborn Bergin
Encyclopedia
Osborn Joseph Bergin was a scholar of the Irish language
and Early Irish literature
. He was born in Cork
and was educated at Queen's College Cork (now University College Cork), then went to Germany
for advanced studies in Celtic languages
, working with Heinrich Zimmer
at the Friedrich Wilhelm University of Berlin (now the Humboldt University of Berlin
) and later with Rudolf Thurneysen
at the University of Freiburg
, where he wrote his dissertation on palatalization
in 1906. He then returned to Ireland and taught at the School of Irish Learning
and at University College Dublin
. He died in Dublin at the age of 76; he never married.
He published extensively in the journal for Irish scholarship, Ériu
. He is known for Bergin's Law
, that while the normal order of a sentence in Old Irish is verb-subject-object, it is permissible for the verb, in the conjunct form
, to be placed at the end of the sentence. His friend Frank O'Connor
wrote humorously that while he discovered the law "he never really believed in it".. He wrote poetry in Irish and made a number of well-received translations of Old Irish love poetry.
He is celebrated in Brian O'Nolan's poem Binchy
and Bergin and Best
, originally printed in the Cruiskeen Lawn column in the Irish Times and now included in The Best of Myles .He was noted for his feuds with George Moore
and William Butler Yeats
, but had a lifelong friendship with George William Russell
. Frank O'Connor, another good friend, describes Bergin's eccentricities affectionately in his memoir My Father's Son.
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
and Early Irish literature
Early Irish literature
-The earliest Irish authors:It is unclear when literacy first came to Ireland. The earliest Irish writings are inscriptions, mostly simple memorials, on stone in the ogham alphabet, the earliest of which date to the fourth century...
. He was born in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
and was educated at Queen's College Cork (now University College Cork), then went to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for advanced studies in Celtic languages
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
, working with Heinrich Zimmer
Heinrich Zimmer
Heinrich Robert Zimmer was an Indologist and historian of South Asian art, most known for his works, Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and Civilization and Philosophies of India. He was the most important German scholar in Indian Philology after Max Müller...
at the Friedrich Wilhelm University of Berlin (now the Humboldt University of Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
) and later with Rudolf Thurneysen
Rudolf Thurneysen
Eduard Rudolf Thurneysen was a Swiss linguist and Celticist.Born in Basel, Thurneysen studied classical philology in Basel, Leipzig, Berlin and Paris. His teachers included Ernst Windisch and Heinrich Zimmer...
at the University of Freiburg
University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg , sometimes referred to in English as the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The university was founded in 1457 by the Habsburg dynasty as the...
, where he wrote his dissertation on palatalization
Palatalization
In linguistics, palatalization , also palatization, may refer to two different processes by which a sound, usually a consonant, comes to be produced with the tongue in a position in the mouth near the palate....
in 1906. He then returned to Ireland and taught at the School of Irish Learning
School of Irish Learning
The School of Irish Learning was a center for Irish studies in Dublin founded in 1903 by Kuno Meyer, who talked of "the necessity of bringing the [Irish revivalist] movement into direct and intimate relations with scholarship, to provide an avenue for every student of Irish to the higher regions of...
and at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
. He died in Dublin at the age of 76; he never married.
He published extensively in the journal for Irish scholarship, Ériu
Ériu (journal)
Ériu is an academic journal of Irish language studies. It was launched in 1904 as the journal of the School of Irish Learning in Dublin. When the School was incorporated into the Royal Irish Academy in 1926, the Academy continued publication of the journal, in the same format and with the same title...
. He is known for Bergin's Law
Bergin's Law
Bergin's Law is a grammatical law of Old Irish. It is named for the linguist Osborn Bergin , who identified it.Bergin's Law states that while in Old Irish the normal order of a sentence is verb-subject-object, it is permissible for the verb, in the conjunct form, to appear at the end of the sentence....
, that while the normal order of a sentence in Old Irish is verb-subject-object, it is permissible for the verb, in the conjunct form
Dependent and independent verb forms
In the Goidelic languages, dependent and independent verb forms are distinct verb forms; each tense of each verb exists in both forms. Verbs are often preceded by a particle which marks negation, or a question, or has some other force. The dependent verb forms are used after a particle, while...
, to be placed at the end of the sentence. His friend Frank O'Connor
Frank O'Connor
Frank O’Connor was an Irish author of over 150 works, best known for his short stories and memoirs.-Early life:...
wrote humorously that while he discovered the law "he never really believed in it".. He wrote poetry in Irish and made a number of well-received translations of Old Irish love poetry.
He is celebrated in Brian O'Nolan's poem Binchy
D. A. Binchy
Daniel Anthony Binchy was a scholar of Irish linguistics and Early Irish law.From 1919-20 he was Auditor of the Literary and Historical Society...
and Bergin and Best
Richard Irvine Best
Richard Irvine Best , often known as R. I. Best, was an Irish scholar who specialised in Celtic Studies.Best was born into a Protestant family in Derry and educated at Foyle College before working for a time in a bank...
, originally printed in the Cruiskeen Lawn column in the Irish Times and now included in The Best of Myles .He was noted for his feuds with George Moore
George Moore
George Moore may refer to:*George Edward Moore , G.E. Moore, British philosopher*George Moore , Member of Parliament for Dublin City 1826–1831*George Moore , landowner and High Sheriff of Derbyshire...
and William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
, but had a lifelong friendship with George William Russell
George William Russell
George William Russell who wrote under the pseudonym Æ , was an Irish nationalist, writer, editor, critic, poet, and painter. He was also a mystical writer, and centre of a group of followers of theosophy in Dublin, for many years.-Organisor:Russell was born in Lurgan, County Armagh...
. Frank O'Connor, another good friend, describes Bergin's eccentricities affectionately in his memoir My Father's Son.