Robert Fowkes
Encyclopedia
Robert Allen Fowkes was a noted American
linguist, specializing in Indo-European Historical Linguistics and philology.
Robert Fowkes was born in Harrison, New York. He received his B.A. in 1934 from New York University
(NYU), with majors in German
and Latin
, and his M.A. from NYU a year later. He held a fellowship at the University of Bonn
(1936–37). He received his Ph.D. in 1947 from Columbia University
. Fowkes began teaching at NYU in 1938 as an instructor in German. He later became head of the German Department (1957–1968). He retired from NYU in 1978, but continued as Professor Emeritus, lecturing on Avestan, Old Irish, Gothic
, Hittite
, and other languages, until the 1990s. He also held a Guggenheim Fellowship
in Welsh
. During World War II
he supervised technical research in German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Japanese. Later, at NYU he taught Yiddish, Gothic, Old Saxon
, Frisian, Old Norse
, Scandinavian, Sanskrit
as well as German. He was visiting professor of Celtic languages
at Columbia University in 1947.
His major book was Gothic Etymological Studies (1949). His articles appeared in the Journals WORD
, Language
, Germanic Review, Armenian Digest, and foreign Linguistics journals.
Fowkes was president of the Linguistic Circle of New York, where he was one of the first members, along with Roman Jakobson
and Morris Swadesh
. The Circle later became the International Linguistic Association
(ILA). He was a member of the advisory board of American Speech. He wrote "Welsh Naming Practices, with a Comparative Look at the Cornish" in the journal Names, in 1981.
At the time of his death (he was struck by a car while crossing the street in Yonkers, New York) he was working on a 30-year-long project to compile the first etymological dictionary of Welsh. Robert Fowkes was given a Festschrift
by WORD (April 1980). On October 14, 1978, ILA organized a colloquium in his honor.
On April 25, 1999 NYU held a celebration in his memory.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
linguist, specializing in Indo-European Historical Linguistics and philology.
Robert Fowkes was born in Harrison, New York. He received his B.A. in 1934 from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(NYU), with majors in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, and his M.A. from NYU a year later. He held a fellowship at the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
(1936–37). He received his Ph.D. in 1947 from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Fowkes began teaching at NYU in 1938 as an instructor in German. He later became head of the German Department (1957–1968). He retired from NYU in 1978, but continued as Professor Emeritus, lecturing on Avestan, Old Irish, Gothic
Gothic language
Gothic is an extinct Germanic language that was spoken by the Goths. It is known primarily from the Codex Argenteus, a 6th-century copy of a 4th-century Bible translation, and is the only East Germanic language with a sizable Text corpus...
, Hittite
Hittite language
Hittite is the extinct language once spoken by the Hittites, a people who created an empire centred on Hattusa in north-central Anatolia...
, and other languages, until the 1990s. He also held a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
in 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...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he supervised technical research in German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Japanese. Later, at NYU he taught Yiddish, Gothic, Old Saxon
Old Saxon
Old Saxon, also known as Old Low German, is the earliest recorded form of Low German, documented from the 8th century until the 12th century, when it evolved into Middle Low German. It was spoken on the north-west coast of Germany and in the Netherlands by Saxon peoples...
, Frisian, Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
, Scandinavian, Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
as well as German. He was visiting professor of Celtic languages
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
at Columbia University in 1947.
His major book was Gothic Etymological Studies (1949). His articles appeared in the Journals WORD
WORD (journal)
WORD is a linguistics academic journal published three times a year by the International Linguistic Association....
, Language
Language (journal)
Language is a peer-reviewed quarterly academic journal published by the Linguistic Society of America since 1925. It covers all aspects of linguistics, focusing on the area of theoretical linguistics...
, Germanic Review, Armenian Digest, and foreign Linguistics journals.
Fowkes was president of the Linguistic Circle of New York, where he was one of the first members, along with Roman Jakobson
Roman Jakobson
Roman Osipovich Jakobson was a Russian linguist and literary theorist.As a pioneer of the structural analysis of language, which became the dominant trend of twentieth-century linguistics, Jakobson was among the most influential linguists of the century...
and Morris Swadesh
Morris Swadesh
Morris Swadesh was an influential and controversial American linguist. In his work, he applied basic concepts in historical linguistics to the Indigenous languages of the Americas...
. The Circle later became the International Linguistic Association
International Linguistic Association
The International Linguistic Association was founded in 1943 as the Linguistic Circle of New York. Its founding members were academic linguists in the New York area, including many members of the École Libre des Hautes Études in exile. The model for the new organization was the Société de...
(ILA). He was a member of the advisory board of American Speech. He wrote "Welsh Naming Practices, with a Comparative Look at the Cornish" in the journal Names, in 1981.
At the time of his death (he was struck by a car while crossing the street in Yonkers, New York) he was working on a 30-year-long project to compile the first etymological dictionary of Welsh. Robert Fowkes was given a Festschrift
Festschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
by WORD (April 1980). On October 14, 1978, ILA organized a colloquium in his honor.
On April 25, 1999 NYU held a celebration in his memory.
Main Publications
- Gothic etymological studies. New York, 1949. New York University. Ottendorfer series of Germanic Monographs.
- The German lied and its poetry. (with Elaine Brody). New York, New York University Press, 1971.
- Celtic linguistics. 1976. International Linguistic Association. London
- Germanic Etymologies. 1945. The Journal of English and Germanic Philology, XLVI.