LA LANE, Pierre de (Lalane, Lalanne). Toulouse 6.8.1669 — Pondichéry 1746. S.J. French missionary in South India. Entered Jesuit order in 1685, in 1703 arrived at Pondichéry and began learning the language. Then worked there until his death (except three years in Tarcolam and a visit to Bengal).
Publications: According to Vinson he wrote grammars of Tamil (1728) and Telugu (1729). He claimed that both are lost, but it seems that Anquetil-Duperron’s copy of the first is in the Bibl. nationale (see archivesetmanuscrits.bnf.fr; published are only a few letters in Lettres édifiants.
Sources: L. Besse, “Miss. du Carnatic”, RHIF 2, 1918, 212; *J. Vinson, RL 32, 1889, 101f.; on Telugu grammar J. Filliozat, BEFEO 76, 1987, 107f.
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