What is the origin of the word philology?
The Greek word philología combines phílos meaning love or affection with lógos meaning word or reason. This pairing described a love of learning and literature in ancient times.
Questions about Philology
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did classical philology begin at ancient institutions?
Ancient scholars at the Library of Pergamum and the Library of Alexandria began classical philology around the fourth century BC. These institutions sought to establish standard texts of popular authors for sound interpretation and secure transmission.
Who deciphered the Rosetta Stone in 1822?
Jean-François Champollion achieved famous decipherment and translation of the Rosetta Stone in 1822. Henry Rawlinson and others decoded the Behistun Inscription mid-19th century recording Old Persian Elamite and Akkadian texts.
Why did English-speaking countries abandon the term philology after World War I?
Anti-German feelings following World War I caused English-speaking countries to abandon philology as a term for language work. Most continental European nations maintained the designation for departments colleges position titles and journals.
What is Proto-Indo-European according to philological research?
Scholars called this reconstructed tongue Proto-Indo-European based on similarities between Sanskrit and European languages first appearing in early 16th century observations. Interest in ancient languages drove research into what the 18th century termed exotic languages.