BURNOUF, Jean-Louis. Urville near Valognes (Manche) 14.9.1775 — Paris 8.5.1844. French Classical Scholar interested in Sanskrit. Professor in Paris. Father of —> Eugène Burnouf (1801–1852). One of the 8 children of a poor weaver, lost early his father. In 1793 matriculated from the collège of Harcourt, without means had to work as a printer in Dieppe, then in a recruiting office. Came to Paris as an assistant of a merchant, now began to study Greek and German during his free hours. Translated Tacitus. From 1808 teacher at Lycée Charlemagne, 1810-26 professeur de rhétorique there. In 1811-22 maître de conferences in the newly founded École normale supérieure. From 1817 professeur de l’éloquence latine at Collège de France, until 1844 (succeeded by —> Ad. Regnier). He became interested in common points between Greek and Sanskrit conjugation and attended, together with his son, Chézy’s lectures. From 1826-40 inspecteur général des études de l’académie de Paris. From 1840 bibliothécaire en chef de l’université. 1836 member of the A.I.B.L. Married Marie Geneviève Chavarin (1776–1841).
Publications: Méthode pour étudier la langue grecque. 1813-14 and many editions; Méthode pour étudier la langue latine. 12+355 p. P. 1840-41 and many editions; Essai sur l’art de traduire. 1827; other works on classical philology.
– Edited & translated: Tacite: Œuvres. 1-6. P. 1827-33; edited: Salluste. P. 1821; translated several works of Cicero.
– Latin translation (11 p.) in: Yaj’n’adattabad’a ou La Mort d’Yajnadatta, épisode extrait du Ramâyana, donné avec le texte … trad. … par A. L. Chézy, et suivi par forme d’appendice d’une traduction latine littérale par J. L. Burnouf. P. 1826.
– L. Delisle (ed.), Souvenirs de jeunesse, 1792-1796. 45 p. Nogent-le-Rotrou 1888.
Sources: *E. Burnouf in his Histoire du Bouddhisme. P. 1844, xxxiiid.; *A. Morel, Éloge de J.-L. B. 58 p. Caen 1847; *Naudet, “Notice sur la vie et les ouvrages de MM. Burnouf, père et fils”, MAIBL 20:1, 1861, 285-337; M. Prévost, D.B.F. 7, 1956, 704; French Wikipédia.
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