LOTTNER, Carl Friedrich. Berlin 20.6.1834 — Dublin 5.4.1873. German Celtic and IE Linguist in Ireland. Professor in Dublin. Son of general counsel, Justizrat Franz August L. (d. 1836) and Juliane Sander. After school and Gymnasium in Berlin studied in 1851-54 at Berlin under Bopp and Grimm. Worked as schoolteacher, then in 1858 he went to Edinburgh, 1859 to London, and 1860 to Dublin, becoming Lecturer at Trinity College. In c. 1864 succeeded Siegfried as Professor of Sanskrit at Trinity College in Dublin and probably taught there until his death (when he was succeeded by Atkinson). Unmarried.
Lottner was the first to suggest special connection of Italic and Celtic among IE languages. In addition to IE and Celtic, he was interested in several Eastern languages, e.g. in Ethiopian, Arabic and Old Egyptian. He strived for perfection, published very little himself and sharply criticized others. The situation seems to have become worse, as, according to Gaidoz, “Il avait depuis quelques ans à peu près renoncé au travail et menait une vie solitaire et triste: la mort lui a été la délivrance”.
Publications: Articles on IE, Germanic, and Celtic in KZ and Kuhn’s Beiträge, e.g. “Über die Stellung der Italer innerhalb des indoeuropäischen Sprachstammes”, KZ 7, 1858, 161-193; “Ausnahmen der ersten Lautverschiebung”, KZ 11, 1862, 161-205.
Sources: H. Gaidoz, BSL 2, 1872-75, 74-76; K.R. Jankowsky, N.D.B. 15, 1987, 250; German Wikipedia.
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