Ferdinand Johann Wiedemann

Ferdinand Johann Wiedemann (born 18 Märzjul / March 30 1805greg in Haapsalu, .. .. † 17 Dezemberjul / December 29 1887greg in Saint Petersburg ) was a linguist and deutschbaltischer Finno - Ugrist.

Life

Ferdinand Johann Wiedemann was the son of a court clerk in a German - Swedish family in Haapsalu ( German: Haapsalu ) was born. After graduating from high school in 1821 in Tallinn, he studied from 1824 to 1826 at the University of Tartu. He first found employment as a teacher of Classical Languages ​​in Jelgava ( Jelgava ), before moving up to his old high school in 1857 in Tallinn worked from 1837 as a teacher of Greek and librarian. Above all, there began his fundamental work for Estonian and other Finno -Ugric languages. 1854 Wiedemann was elected corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and in 1857 a full member. In 1857 he moved to St. Petersburg, where he continued his scientific work until his death.

Work

Essential for the formation of the modern Estonian language was published in 1869 Wiedemann Ehstnisch - German dictionary. It was based on many years of field research and was for a long time the most fundamental of its kind in 1875, he published his Grammar of Ehstnischen language, which contributed to the stabilization of a single Estonian.

Wiedemann also explored other Finno- Ugric languages. Among other things, he is the author of Syrjänisch - German dictionary of the language of the Komi and the two grammatical works attempt a grammar of syrjänischen language according to the terms used in the translation of the Gospel of Matthew dialects (1847 ) and attempt a grammar of Chechen draw Saxon language after the Gospels translation of 1821 used dialects (1847 ).

In addition, Wiedemann was very interested in ethnographic observations in Estonia. 1876 ​​was published as a result of their work the band from the inner and outer lives of Estonians.

Since 1989, a named after Ferdinand Johann Wiedemann Language Prize is awarded in Estonia.