WIEDEMANN, Oskar Johann. Jurburg, govt. Kaunas (Jurbarke, Lithuania) 3.12.1860 — Leipzig 9.12.1918. German (Baltic) Linguist. In 1879-83 studies of comparative linguistics under L. Meyer at Dorpat (Tartu), then further studies in Germany. Mag. 1886 Dorpat. Ph.D. 1889 Dorpat. PD 1887 Dorpat, quitted in 1890 because of Russification of the university and…
WHITNEY, William Dwight. Nothampton, Mass. 9.2.1827 (hardly 1828) — New Haven, Conn. 7/8.6.1894. U.S. Indologist. Professor in New Haven. Born in an old Yankee family as the son of a businessman, Josiah Dwight Whitney (1786–1869), and Sarah Williston (1800–1833). Educated in 1842-45 at Williams College (B.A. 1845). In 1845-49 he…
WHEELER, Benjamin Ide. Randolph, Mass. 15.7.1854 — Vienna, Austria 3.5.1927. U.S. Classical and IE Scholar. Son of Rev. Benjamin Wheeler (1807–1876), a Baptist priest, and Mary Eliza Ide. Studies at Brown University 1871-75 (A.B. 1875, A.M. 1878), instructor at the same 1879-81. In 1881-85 further studies in Germany: Leipzig, Heidelberg,…
WHATMOUGH, Joshua. Rochdale, Lancashire 30.6.1897 — Winchester, MA 25.4.1964. British IE Linguist in the U.S.A. (citizen 1942). Professor in Cambridge, Mass. Son of Walter Whatmough, an iron-molder and woolweaver, and Elizabeth Hollows. Studied at Manchester (B.A. 1916, and, after war service, M.A. 1921) and Cambridge (Emmanuel College, B.A. 1921, M.A.…
WESTERGAARD, Niels Ludvig. Copenhagen 27.10.1815 — Copenhagen 9.9.1878. Danish Indologist and Iranian Scholar. Professor in Copenhagen. Son of a master carpenter, Niels Nielsen W. (1772–1835) and Sophie Magdalene Nyeborg. As a schoolboy he became interested, from the example of Rask, in comparative linguistics and Oriental languages. From 1833 studied at…
WENNERBERG, Claes. 1939 — ?.7.1996, when 57. Swedish Indologist. Son of Gunnar W. and Torborg “Bojan” Broden. Studies at Gothenburg under Liebert. Ph.D. 1981 Göteborg Universitet. Docent and half-time Universitetslektor teaching Indology and comparative linguistics at Gothenburg until his sudden and unexpected death. Married Doris, two sons. Publications: Diss. Die…
WEISGERBER, Johann Leo. Metz 25.2.1899 — Bonn 8.8.1985. German (of Lorraine) Linguist and Celtologist. Son of a village teacher, Nikolaus Ludwig W., and Maria Müller (died when he was 5), educated in Metz, Reifeprüfung 1917. Then participated in WW I in German army in Flanders, after war studies from 1918…
WEIHRICH, Franz. 26.7.1845 — Vienna 20.6.1910. German Schoolman and former Student of IE Linguistics. Ph.D. 1869 Giessen (Vullers). Tutor of the children of Erzherzog Carl Ludwig, then 1902-08 school director in Vienna, in 1908 retired. Publications: Diss. De gradibus comparationis linguarum Sanscritae, Graecae, Latinae, Gothicae. 7+108 p. Giessen 1869. –…
WEIGLE, Gottfried Hartmann. Esslingen-Zell am Neckar 1.6.1816 — Mangalore 7.1.1855. German Missionary in India, member of Basel Mission. Characterized as a linguist. Son of a minister, Karl Christian Hartmann Weigle (1787–1834) and Johanna Rosina Werner (1793–1826), school in Stuttgart. Studied at Urach Seminary 1830-34, then theology (but also Sanskrit, Arabic…
WEIDERT, Alfons Klaus. 21.3.1943 — Bangkok 24.7.1988. German Tibeto-Burman Linguist. Ph.D. 1971 Heidelberg. PD 1982 Kiel. In 1981-84 Chief-Supervisor of the German-Nepalese field-project Linguistic Survey of Nepal. Collected material through field study among more than 40 Tibeto-Burman languages. But he was hard on his informants and lost his research position…