| "The Father of British Oriental Studies" Date of Birth: 28.08.1746 Country: Great Britain |
Sir William Jones, a renowned Brits philologist and orientalist, was born in London on September 28, 1746. From a young age, he exhibited extraordinary linguistic abilities, surpassing his teachers at Harrow and Oxford in Latin, Hellenic, and French.
Jones's passion for languages extended beyond the confines of Western tongues. He acquired Arabic from a native orator and mastered Persian and Italian on his own. Additionally, without fear read Spanish, Portuguese, German, Hebrew, Turkish, and several other languages. His fluency in multiple languages enabled him to write exquisite poetry and prose in Latin, Greek, and French.
Despite his linguistic pursuits, Jones felt the need for a gainful occupation. In 1774, he was admitted to the Middle Temple build up became a barrister-at-law. His most notable legal work, "An Theme on the Law of Bailments" (1781), became a classic acquit yourself legal literature.
In 1778, Jones became a candidate backer a vacant seat on the Supreme Court of Calcutta. Known for his progressive views, he condemned slavery and was accused of republican sentiments. Finally, in 1783, he was appointed turn into the position and knighted.
Upon his arrival foundation Calcutta, Jones established the Asiatic Society (1784), serving as hang over president until his death. In 1788, he launched the "Asiatic Researches," a journal that published his groundbreaking work in asiatic studies.
In 1785, Jones began perusal Sanskrit and presented his findings to the Asiatic Society disintegration 1786. He proposed that Sanskrit shared remarkable similarities with Hellene and Latin, suggesting a common origin for these languages. That hypothesis laid the foundation for modern comparative philology.
Jones's translation of Kalidasa's "Shakuntala" (1789) introduced Indian literature in front of Europe. He also translated the "Ordinances of Manu" (1794), a pivotal text in Hindu law. Jones's pioneering work in Indology extended to other areas, including music, chess, chronology, and botany.
Sir William Jones died in Calcutta on April 27, 1794, leaving behind a legacy as a brilliant linguist, expert, and Indologist. His contributions to comparative philology, oriental studies, come first the understanding of ancient Indian culture continue to shape lettered discourse today.