Albert Schultens facts for kids
Albert Schultens (born 1686, died 1750) was a famous Dutch expert in languages. He was known as a philologist, which means someone who studies languages, especially ancient ones.
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About Albert Schultens
Albert Schultens was born in a city called Groningen in the Netherlands. There, he first studied to become a church minister. Later, he went to the University of Leiden. At Leiden, he focused on learning Hebrew and other languages related to it. These related languages are called "cognate tongues."
Early Studies and Work
In 1706, Albert Schultens wrote an important paper. It was titled "The Use of Arabic in the Interpretation of Scripture." This paper showed his early interest in the Arabic language. After visiting Reland in Utrecht, he returned to Groningen in 1708.
He earned his degree in theology in 1709. Theology is the study of religious faith and practice. After this, he went back to Leiden. There, he spent time studying old handwritten books, known as manuscript collections. In 1711, he became a pastor in a town called Wassenaer.
Moving to Academia
Albert Schultens found that he preferred academic work over being a pastor. So, in 1713, he accepted a job teaching Hebrew. This job was at the University of Franeker. He taught there until 1729.
After that, he moved back to Leiden. He became the head of the collegium theologicum. This was a special school for students who needed financial help. From 1732 until he passed away in Leiden, he was a professor. He taught Oriental languages, which are languages from the East, like Arabic.
Impact on Language Studies
Albert Schultens was a leading teacher of the Arabic language in Europe during his time. Many people believe he helped bring Arabic studies back to life. He had a different view from other scholars like J. J. Reiske. Schultens thought Arabic was helpful for understanding Hebrew better.
However, Reiske believed Arabic studies should be a subject on its own. He felt it should be taught like mathematics or physics. Schultens, though, strongly believed in comparing Semitic languages. Semitic languages include Hebrew and Arabic. He argued that comparing them helped understand Hebrew, even though some thought Hebrew was too sacred to be compared.
Main Books and Writings
Albert Schultens wrote many important books about languages. Some of his main works include:
- Institutiones ad Fundumenta Linguæ Hebraicæ (1737) - This book was about the basics of the Hebrew language.
- Origines Hebraeae (1724, 1738) - This work explored the origins of Hebrew.
- Job (1737) and Proverbs (1748) - These were studies related to books in the Bible.
- Monumenta vetustiora Arabum (1740) - This book focused on ancient Arabic writings.
He also started a work called Institutiones Aramææ (1745–49), but he did not finish it.
See Also
- Dutch Arabists
- Dutch orientalists
- Dutch philologists
