BUGGE, Elseus Sophus. Larvik 5.1.1833 — Tønset 8.7.1907. Norwegian Linguist, mainly Scandinavian, but also IE, Anatolian and Etruscan Scholar. Professor in Christiania (Oslo). Son of Alexander B. (1790–1854), a merchant and former lieutenant, and Maren Kirstine Sartz (1799–1836). After school in Larvik he started 1848 studies of classical philology at Christiania. Through Bopp’s comparative grammar he became familiar with IE and soon interested in Old Norse. Cand.mag. 1857 Christiania. In 1856-57 fieldwork in Øvre Telemark collecting folklore. With a scholarship in 1858-60 further studies of classical and comparative philology at Copenhagen and Berlin, now also Sanskrit under Westergaard and Weber. In 1860-64 “stipendiat i sammenlignende sprogvidenskap og Sanskrit” at Christiania. In 1864 he applied for a chair at Lund, but was promptly given one of comparative linguistics combined with Old Norse at Christiania (first as Lektor, from 1866 full Professor). Married 1859 Karen Sophia Schreiner (1835–1897), children.

Bugge was mainly a scholar of Scandinavian literature and mythology, but at the same time so many-sided that even his own students sometimes deemed it as a vice. He tried to show Etruscan to be an IE language, close to Armenian, but also showed that Lycian is IE, indeed. In general, he was too obsessed with Anatolian theories. Apparently taught Sanskrit, too. He was very influential in Norwegian academic circles. Among his students were Sten Konow and A. Torp.

Publications: Numerous Scandinavian studies, e.g. an Edda edition (Norrœn Fornkvæ∂i. Christiania 1867); “Bidrag til Tydning af de ældste Runeindskrifter”, Tidskrift for Philologi og Pædagogik 7, 1866-67, 211-252, 312-363 & 8, 1868-69, 163-204; Studier over de nordiske Gude- og Hjeltesagns oprindelse. 1-2. Christiania 1881-89.

– “Vermischtes aus der Sprache der Zigeuner”, Beiträge zur vergl. Sprachforschung 1, 1858, 139-155.

–  Studies on Plautus 1864-76; edited Mostellaria. 114 p. Christiania 1873.

– “Beiträge zur griechischen und lateinischen Etymologie”, Curtius’ Studien 4, 1871, 325-354.

– Etruscan studies since 1873, e.g. Beiträge zur Erforschung der etruskischen Sprache. 1-3. 1883-86; Etruskisch und Armenisch. 171 p. Christiania 1890.

– “Beiträge zur etymologischen Erläuterung der armenischen Sprache”, IF 1, 1892, 437-459, other articles on Armenian.

– Lykische Studien. 1. 91 p. Christiania 1897; “Über den Einfluss der armenischen Sprache auf die gotische”, IF 5, 1895, 168-174, 274.

– Sproglige og historiske Afhandlinger viede Sophus Bugges Minde: med Tillæg: To Ungdomsbreve fra Sophus Bugge. Fortegnelse over Sophus Bugges trykte Arbeider. 301 p. Kristiania 1908.

Sources: *H. Falk, Arkiv för Nord. Filol. 24, 1908, 222-230; *R. Gauthiot, BSL 55, 1907, ccxxxii-ccxxxiv; *E.F. Halvorsen, Lex. gramm. 1996, 141f.; *F. Jónsson & H. Pedersen, Nord. Tidsskr. for filol. 3:16, 1907, 101-127; *A. Olrik, Danske Studier 1907, 177-192; M. Olsen, N.B.L. 2, 1925, 356-368; *S. Reinach, CRAI 51, 1907, 416-418; *Akademiske Afhandlinger til S.B. 1889; *Uppsala-studier tillegnade S.B. 1893; *Afhandlinger viede S.B.’s minne. 1908; Wikipedia (with photo, more in Norwegian version); photos in Intern. Taschenbuch der Orientalisten 1910 and in Pedersen 1959, 237.