PORRU, Giulia. 1913 — 2000 (?). Italian Linguist. Studies at Florence, i.a. under Devoto. Ph.D. 1937 Florence, PD in glottologia 1943. From 1946 Professore indaricato di filologia Germanica at Florence, also taught general linguistics. She was the first Italian to show interest in phonology. Publications: “I verbi della VII classe dell’antico…
POLOMÉ, Edgar Ghislain Charles. Molenbeck-Saint-Jean near Brussels 31.7.1920 — Houston 11.3.2000. Belgian Linguist in the U.S.A. Professor in Austin, Texas. Son of a Walloon father (Marcel Félicien Polomé) and Flemish mother (Berthe Henry). Studies at Free University Brussels (B.A. 1940) and after war service at Catholic University Louvain (M.A. 1943), learned Sanskrit…
PLAYFAIR, John. Benvie, Forfarshire 10.3.1748 — Burntisland, Fife 20.7.1819. British (Scottish) Scientist and Mathematician. Son of Rev. James Playfair and Margaret Young, educated at home. Studies at St.Andrews and Edinburgh, began with divinity, but turned to science. Worked as preacher and tutor, continuing his studies. From 1785 Professor of Mathematics…
PETZ, Gideon. Harka, Sopron dt. 24.11.1863 — Budapest 21.12.1943. Hungarian Linguist. Studies at Budapest, Freiburg i. Br., Leipzig and Berlin, 1881-87. Ph.D. Teacher at Lutheran gymnasium in Budapest. At Budapest University: PD 1887, ao. Professor 1896, ord. 1904, of German Philology. Member of Hungarian Academy: correspondent 1895, ord. 1920, honorary 1934.…
PERCIVAL, Peter. Prestwich, Lancashire 24.7.1803 — Yercaud (Eṟkāṭu), Salem dt. 11.7.1882. Rev. British Missionary and Indologist (Tamil Scholar) in Sri Lanka and India. Son of Peter and Jane P. In 1826 Wesleyan Methodist Mission sent him to Jaffna, worked there until 1829 and after a few years in Bengal in…
PALMER, Edward Henry. Cambridge 7.8.1840 — Sinai Peninsula 11.8.1882. British Oriental Scholar and Asian traveller. Son of William Henry P., a private schoolmaster, and his wife Mary, lost early his father and soon also his mother, grew up with an aunt. After school in Cambridge he was sent to London…
PALLAS, Peter Simon. Berlin 22.9.1741 — Berlin 8.9.1811. German Botanist, Ethnologist, Naturalist and Linguist in Russian Service. Son of Simon Pallas (1694–1770), Professor of Surgery, and Susanne Lienhardi. Studies of medicine and natural sciences at Halle, Göttingen and Leiden (Dr.med. there 1760). Invited by Catherine II joined St.Petersburg Academy in…
OLDHAM, Thomas. Dublin 4.5.1816 — Rugby, Warwickshire 17.7.1878. British (Anglo-Irish) Geologist in India. Son of Thomas Oldham and Margaret Boyd (D.N.B. Bagot). Educated privately, studies at Trinity College in Dublin, B.A. 1836, M.A. 1846. From 1836 further studies of geology at Engineering School in Edinburgh. In 1838 employed in the…
OEHLER, Gustav Friedrich. Ebingen, Württemberg 10.6.1812 — Tübingen 19.2.1872. German Lutheran Conservative Theologian and Oriental Scholar. Son of a modest teacher, Georg Friedrich Oehler, and Johanna Gastpar (d. c. 1821). Educated in Ebingen and Blaubeuren, from 1829 studied theology and Oriental languages at Tübingen, learned Sanskrit from Kapff. In 1834-37 teacher…
MONTESI, Giancarlo. 1928 — 1983. Italian Scholar of Religion. Ph.D. 1954 Rome, under Pettazzoni. Worked at La Sapienzà teaching comparative religion. Publications: Diss. Tamas – Usas – Rtà. [1954]. – “II valore cosmico dell’Aurora nel pensiero mitologico del Rig-Veda”, Studi e materiali per la storia delle religioni 24-25, 1953-54, 111-132; “Uṣāsānaktā. Mitologia vedica della notte”, Studi…