Kārlis Mīlenbahs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kārlis Mīlenbahs
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| Born | 18 January 1853 |
| Died | 27 March 1916 (aged 63) Võru, Livonian Governorate, Russian Empire
(now Estonia) |
| Occupation | Lexicographer Philologist |
Kārlis Mīlenbahs (born January 18, 1853 – died March 27, 1916) was a very important person in the history of the Latvian language. He was the first native Latvian speaker to spend his entire career studying and working on his own language. He is often called a "language expert" or "philologist" because of his deep knowledge.
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Who Was Kārlis Mīlenbahs?
Kārlis Mīlenbahs was born in a place called Kandava parish in what is now Latvia. He grew up to become a famous lexicographer, which means he was a person who writes and edits dictionaries. He was also a philologist, someone who studies languages and their history.
Early Life and Education
Kārlis Mīlenbahs studied classical languages at the University of Dorpat in Estonia. Even though he faced challenges, he was very dedicated to learning. His passion for languages, especially Latvian, grew during these years.
His Big Achievements
Mīlenbahs wrote more than a hundred articles about language. These articles were in Latvian, Russian, and German. But his most important work was a huge Latvian-German dictionary. This dictionary is still considered one of the most important books about the Latvian language.
The Latvian-German Dictionary
The first parts of this dictionary were published after he passed away, between 1923 and 1932. Another famous language expert, Jānis Endzelīns, finished and added to the dictionary. Mīlenbahs and Endzelīns also worked together on other important books, including a major grammar book for the Latvian language. A grammar book explains the rules of a language.
Other Important Works
Kārlis Mīlenbahs also had interesting discussions, sometimes called "polemics," with the famous Latvian poet Rainis. These discussions led to an important essay in 1909 about how the Latvian language should be used in literature. He also translated the ancient Greek story, the Odyssey, into Latvian between 1890 and 1895. This showed his skill in bringing classic stories to Latvian readers.
Kārlis Mīlenbahs's work helped shape and preserve the Latvian language for future generations.
