RÉGNIER, Jacques-Auguste-Adolphe. Mainz 7.7.1804 — Fontainebleau 20.10. 1884. French Indologist. Born in a French family in German area then occupied by the French. After studies worked as schoolteacher (of literature and German) in provincial schools. From 1829 agrégé des classes supérieures des lettres, then also maître de conférence teaching German, attaché au Collège de Saint-Louis, to 1838. In 1838–43—> J. L. Burnouf’s successor as professeur d’eloquence latin at Collège de France and professeur de rhétorique at Collège Charlemagne, in 1841-43 also taught German at École normale supérieure. In 1843 the Duchess of Orléans made him the tutor of Philippe, the Count of Paris, after 1848 travelled with his pupil in Belgium, England and Germany, returned from this voluntary exile to Paris in 1853. In 1855 succeeded Langlois at A.I.B.L. Librarian in Palais de Fontainebleau from 1873 until his death, died there in the age of 80. Legion d’honneur 1841, officer 1875. Married 1831 Eléonore Cattant, two sons.
Régnier had studied Sanskrit under Burnouf in 1835-38 and became interested in the Rigveda. He was the first to discuss the problems of Vedic language, especially syntax. Concentrating on the (rather unproblematic) hymns 1, 185 and 189, partly also 1, 35, he studied the casus syntax. As a pioneer he could not get rid of Sāyaṇa, but attempted at critical use of him. He published the very good editio princeps of the Ṛgveda-Prātiśākhya, which was, however, soon shadowed by Max Müller’s edition.
Publications: With Ph. Le Bas: Cours complet de langue allemande. 1-7. 1830-33, Cours de littérature allemande. 1-2. P. 1833-34; with Schuster, Dictionnaire français–allemand et allemand–français. 1-2. 1841; Recherches sur l’histoire des langues germaniques. 147 p. P. 1853; translations from German, e.g. Goethe’s Iphigeneia 1843 and Schiller’s Œuvres 1860–62.
– La grammaire. 18??, 10th ed. 1857; Traité de la formation et de la composition des mots dans la langue grecque. 1840, 2nd ed. 7+495 p. P. 1855; Dictionnaire étymologique des mots français tirés du grec. P. 1843; “Mémoires sur l’histoire des langues germaniques et sur les modifications qu’elles ont éprouvées depuis le quatrième siècle”, Recueil de l’Acad. des inscr. 1848, 1850; edited Lucretius in Latin, 1837.
– Étude sur l’idiome des Védas et les origines de la langue sanscrite. 1. 16+207 p. P. 1855.
– Edited & translated: Études sur la grammaire védique. Prâtiçâkhya du Rig-Véda. 1-3. 315+145+299 p. P. 1857-59 (originally publ. in JA 5:7-5:12, 1856-58).
– Further works and articles.
Sources: Stache-Weiske 2017, 552; *H. Wallon, CRAI 46, 1902, 604-647; Windisch 148-150; N.B.G. 41, 1862, 880f.; Wikipedia with photo, see also French version.
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