Vilhelm Thomsen

Vilhelm Ludwig Peter Thomsen ( born January 25, 1842 in Copenhagen, † May 12, 1927 ) was a Danish linguist.

Life and scientific work

He was a linguist, who was interested in the same manner for the Indo-European language family such as the Finno-Ugric languages. From 1887 to 1913 he was professor of linguistics at the University of Copenhagen. In the academic year 1901/ 02 he served as rector of the university.

In 1893 he succeeded in deciphering the alphabet of the so-called Old Turkic Orkhon runes. Three years later he published and interpreted the two then-known Orchontexte. He opened up so a language that was older by several centuries than any other known Turkish inscriptions.

For his scientific achievements, he was honored on January 24, 1911 by its inclusion in the Prussian Order Pour le Merite for Arts and Science as a foreign member. In 1912 he was honored with the elephant Medal and was the first Civil awardees of the 20th century.

Major works

• Déchiffrement des Inscriptions de l' Orkhon et de l' Yenisei, 1894 (Bulletin of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences)
• The gotiske Sprogklasses Indflydelse paa the Finske, 1869, German 1870 ( about the influence of the Germanic languages ​​of the Finno- Lapp )
• Sprogvidenskabens History, 1902, German 1927