PITTMAN, Richard Saunders (Dick). Streator, Ill. 19.2.1915 — Waxhaw, Union, NC 21.8.1998. U.S. Linguist. Son of glass manufacturer Edwin John Pittman and Louise Shepard. Graduated 1936 from Asbury College. In 1940-50 lived in Tetelcingo, Mexico, doing linguistic fieldwork, and continued his studies in the U.S.A., first at University of Michigan,…
PIET, John Henry. Grand Rapids, Michigan 2.9.1914 — Holland, Michigan 16.10.1992. Rev. U.S. Missionary and Scholar of Religion. Minister of the Reformed Church in America. Son of Reinder Piet and Gesina Johanna Charlotta Brinkman. Studies at Hope College (graduated A.B. 1936) and Princeton Theological Seminary. B.D. 1939 Western Theological Seminary.…
PHILIPPI, Friedrich Wilhelm Martin (Fritz). Dorpat (Tartu) 3.11.1843 — Rostock 6.3.1905. German (born in Estonia) Semitic Scholar. Professor in Rostock. Son of Friedrich Adolf Philippi (1809–1882), who was later Professor of Theology at Rostock. After school in Dorpat, from 1863 studies of theology at Rostock, Berlin and Leipzig. Ph.D. 1866…
PETER, Friedrich A. Leh, Ladakh 1904 — 1988. Swiss Priest and Tibetan Scholar. Son of Friedrich E. Peter (d. 1945), who was Herrnhutian Bishop in Ladakh. Himself originally an architect, but soon turned to theology and became a priest. In 1930 returned to Ladakh and worked at the mission station…
PERRY, Edward Delavan. Troy, NY 20.12.1854 — New York City 28.3. 1938. U.S. Indologist and Classical Scholar. Professor in New York. Son of Amos Sone Perry and Sarah Hillhouse. Studies of classical philology at Columbia University in New York (A.B. 1875). Further studies under Roth at Tübingen, Ph.D. there 1879.…
PERRIN, Marshall Livingston. Wellesley Hills (now Frantville) county Norfolk, Mass. 31.7.1855 — Obod. 2.12.1935. U.S. Linguist. Professor in Boston. Son of Noah Perrin and Philenia Winship Stone. Educated at Harvard (A.B. 1874, A.M. 1876), post-graduate studies 1877-80 at Harvard, 1883-88 in Germany, mostly at Göttingen, where Ph.D. 1889. In 1874…
PERINI, Osvaldo. Verona (?) 1826 — 1890. Italian Journalist, Author, Historian and Translator interested in Sanskrit Literature. In 1849 expelled as a nationalist from Verona by Austrian government, worked as teacher in Breno near Brescia, and, after a while in Lugano, in other Lombardian towns, in 1853-62 in Turin and…
PENZL, Herbert. Neufelden, Oberösterreich 2.9.1910 — Oakland 1.9.1995. Austrian Linguist in the U.S.A., naturalised 1944. Professor in Berkeley. Born into an academic family. After gymnasium in Ottakring (Vienna) studied English philology at Vienna. With a scholarship (recommended by S. Freud) went to the U.S.A. and was in 1932-34 Editorial Assistant…
PELLIOT, Paul. Paris 28.5.1878 — Paris 26.10.1945. French Sinologist and Central Asian Scholar. Professor in Paris. Son of merchant Charles Théodore P. and Marie Renault, educated in Paris. Studied in Paris for diplomatic career, but soon turned to Indology and Sinology under Lévi, Chavannes and Cordier. In 1900 joined the…
PEARSON, James (Jim) Douglas. Cambridge ?.12.1911 — Cambridge 1.8.1997. British Librarian, Specialist of Asian Books. Of humble origins, grew up in Cambridge and was employed from the age of 16 as bookfetcher in the University Library there. He developed a taste for “exotic languages” and won a scholarship for Hebrew…