Rowland Jones facts for kids

Rowland Jones (1722–1774) was a Welsh lawyer and a language expert. He had some very interesting and unusual ideas about how languages began.

Rowland Jones's Life Story

Rowland Jones was born in 1722 in a place called Bachellyn, in Llanbedrog, Wales. His father, John Williams, was a lawyer. Rowland first worked as a clerk in his father's office. Later, he moved to London and found a similar job there.

He married a young woman from Wales who had inherited a lot of money. In 1751, he became a member of the Inner Temple, which is one of the professional homes for lawyers in London. Rowland Jones was often linked to Broom Hall, a place near Pwllheli in Wales. He passed away in London in early 1774, when he was 52 years old. He had three children: two daughters named Elizabeth and Ann, and a son also named Rowland.

Rowland Jones's Books and Ideas

Rowland Jones was a philologist, which means he was a person who studies languages and their history. He had some very unique ideas about how languages started. He believed that the Welsh language was the very first language spoken by humans! He wrote several books to explain his theories.

The Origin of Language

In 1764, he published a book called The Origin of Language and Nations. In this book, he tried to show that Welsh was the original language. He also wrote a "Postscript" to this work a few years later.

Hieroglyphic Language Ideas

His next book, published in 1768, was titled Hieroglyfic. This book was about creating a universal language using signs and sounds. He explored how English, Welsh, Greek, and Latin languages were connected.

The Philosophy of Words

In 1769, he wrote The Philosophy of Words. This book continued his ideas about the deeper meanings and origins of words.

The Circles of Gomer

His 1771 book, The Circles of Gomer, was about finding a universal language based on English. He believed that the Biblical figure Gomer was an ancestor of the Celtic people (like the Welsh). Jones thought that Gomer had kept special knowledge from Adam about the true meanings of letters and words. He believed this knowledge could help reunite nations.

The Io Triads

His last known work, The Io Triads, came out in 1773. In this book, he explored the origins and connections of sacred symbols, sounds, and ideas. He also disagreed with the language theories of other scholars like Lemuel Dole Nelme and John Locke.