Arnold Chikobava facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arnold Chikobava
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | March 14, 1898 Sachikobavo, Kutaisi Governorate, Russian Empire
|
| Died | November 5, 1985 |
| Signature | |
.svg) |
|
Arnold Chikobava (Georgian: არნოლდ ჩიქობავა; March 14, 1898 – November 5, 1985) was a famous Georgian linguist. A linguist is someone who studies languages. He was known for his work on languages from the Caucasus region. He also strongly disagreed with a very controversial idea about language called the "Japhetic theory."
Early Life and Education
Arnold Chikobava was born in a small village. This village was called Sachikobavo. It was located in western Georgia. At that time, Georgia was part of the Russian Empire.
He went to Tbilisi State University. He graduated from there in 1922. After graduating, he became a teacher. He taught at the university from 1926 to 1933. Later, he became a full professor in 1933. He held this position until he passed away in 1985.
His Work and Contributions
Chikobava led the Department of Caucasian Studies at Tbilisi State University. He did this from 1933 to 1960. He also headed the Department of Ibero-Caucasian languages at the Institute of Linguistics in Tbilisi. He worked there from 1936 to 1985.
He even directed the Institute of Linguistics for a short time. This was from 1950 to 1952. Today, this important institute is named after him.
In 1941, he helped start the Georgian Academy of Sciences. He was also part of its main leadership group. This was from 1950 to 1963. He wrote many books and papers. He also created several Georgian dictionaries. His work helped us understand the structure and history of Caucasian languages.
Standing Up for Science
Arnold Chikobava became very famous for criticizing a specific language theory. This theory was called the "Japhetic theory." It was created by a scholar named Nicholas Marr. For a while, this theory was even supported by the Soviet government.
Many people who disagreed with Marr's ideas faced problems. But Chikobava was lucky. He was friends with a powerful leader in Georgia. This friendship helped him continue to speak out against Marr's theory.
Eventually, Chikobava sent a report to Joseph Stalin. Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union. Chikobava even met Stalin in person in 1950. Soon after, Stalin publicly said that Marr's theory was wrong. It is believed that Chikobava himself helped write Stalin's famous article about language. This was a huge victory for science.
Legacy
Arnold Chikobava passed away in Tbilisi in 1985. He was 87 years old. He was buried on the grounds of Tbilisi State University. His work greatly influenced the study of languages. Especially those from the Caucasus region.
