Anton Bernolák facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anton Bernolák
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| Born | 3 October 1762 |
| Died | 15 January 1813 (aged 50) Érsekújvár, Kingdom of Hungary
(now Nové Zámky, Slovakia) |
| Occupation | Priest, official, linguist |
| Known for | Codified the first Slovak language standard |
Anton Bernolák (born October 3, 1762 – died January 15, 1813) was a Slovak linguist and Catholic priest. He is well-known for creating the first official standard for the Slovak language.
Contents
Life of Anton Bernolák
Anton Bernolák was born into a family of lower nobility in the Orava region. He was the second child in his family.
Early Education and Studies
He went to grammar school in Rózsahegy (today called Ružomberok) from 1774 to 1778. After that, he continued his studies in Nagyszombat (now Trnava) and Vienna. He finished his theology studies in Pressburg (which is now Bratislava) in 1787.
Creating the Slovak Language Standard
In 1787, the same year he finished his studies, Anton Bernolák created the first official standard for the Slovak language. He based this new language standard, called bernolákovčina, mostly on the western Slovak dialects spoken around Trnava. He also included some parts from the central Slovak dialects.
Even though bernolákovčina was not fully accepted as the national standard language for everyone, it was a very important step. It helped a lot in forming the modern Slovak nation and its language.
Career and Later Life
From 1787 to 1791, Bernolák worked as a curate (a type of assistant priest) in Cseklész (now called Bernolákovo). Then, from 1791 to 1797, he was a secretary in the archbishop's office in Nagyszombat (Trnava). From 1797 until he passed away in 1813, he served as a priest in Érsekújvár (which is now Nové Zámky).
His language standard was very important for a group called the Slovak Educated Brotherhood. This group was started in 1787 in Nagyszombat (Trnava). It also inspired a movement of people who followed Bernolák's ideas, which lasted for three generations.
Anton Bernolák worked very hard as a writer and a priest. He also cared deeply for his family. All this hard work and stress affected his health. He died suddenly from a heart attack on January 15, 1813.
Key Works
Anton Bernolák wrote several important books and dictionaries. These works helped to define and spread his new Slovak language standard.
- 1787: Linguae Slavonicae… compendiosa simul et facilis Orthographia (A short and easy way to write the Slavic language)
- 1790: Grammatica Slavica (Slovak Grammar)
- 1791: Etymologia vocum slavicarum (The origin of Slavic words)
- 1825 / 1827: Slowár Slowenskí, Češko-Laťinsko-Ňemecko-Uherskí (A Slovak, Czech-Latin-German-Hungarian Dictionary). This was a huge six-volume dictionary. It was meant to be a guide for the new literary language. It was published after Bernolák's death by Juraj Palkovič in Buda.
See also
- Anton Bernolák's Chapel
