Alexandru Graur
Encyclopedia
Alexandru Graur was a Romania
n linguist
.
Born into a Jewish
family in Botoşani
, Graur graduated from the Faculty of Letters of the University of Bucharest
and the École Pratique des Hautes Études
in Paris
(1924-1929). He obtained a Doctor of Philosophy
degree from the Sorbonne
. After returning to Bucharest
, he became involved in academic life and published studies in different periodicals.
Graur founded and was the principal (1941-1944) of the "Liceul particular evreiesc" (Jewish Private High School). In 1946 he started teaching at the university level. In 1955 he was named permanent member of the Romanian Academy
. Between 1954 and 1956 he was the Dean of the Faculty of Letters at the University of Bucharest
. He wrote many papers and articles on classical philology
and etymology
. He had many contributions in the field of linguistics
, phonetics
and grammar
of the Latin
and Romanian language
s.
In 1956, Graur, alongside Dean
Iorgu Iordan
, leading propagandist Leonte Tismăneanu
, and the academics Mihai Novicov, Ion Coteanu, and Radu Florian, he took part in a University inquiry into the anti-communist
statements of Paul Goma
, a university student who later became a noted dissident
and writer; led by Iordan and supervised by the Securitate
, the investigation culminated in Goma's expulsion from the Faculty and his subsequent arrest.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n linguist
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
.
Born into a Jewish
History of the Jews in Romania
The history of Jews in Romania concerns the Jews of Romania and of Romanian origins, from their first mention on what is nowadays Romanian territory....
family in Botoşani
Botosani
Botoșani is the capital city of Botoșani County, in northern Moldavia, Romania. Today, it is best known as the birthplace of many celebrated Romanians, including Mihai Eminescu and Nicolae Iorga.- Origin of the name :...
, Graur graduated from the Faculty of Letters of the University of Bucharest
University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest , in Romania, is a university founded in 1864 by decree of Prince Alexander John Cuza to convert the former Saint Sava Academy into the current University of Bucharest.-Presentation:...
and the École Pratique des Hautes Études
École pratique des hautes études
The École pratique des hautes études is a Grand Établissement in Paris, France. It is counted among France's most prestigious research and higher education institutions....
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(1924-1929). He obtained a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree from the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
. After returning to Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, he became involved in academic life and published studies in different periodicals.
Graur founded and was the principal (1941-1944) of the "Liceul particular evreiesc" (Jewish Private High School). In 1946 he started teaching at the university level. In 1955 he was named permanent member of the Romanian Academy
Romanian Academy
The Romanian Academy is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 acting members who are elected for life....
. Between 1954 and 1956 he was the Dean of the Faculty of Letters at the University of Bucharest
University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest , in Romania, is a university founded in 1864 by decree of Prince Alexander John Cuza to convert the former Saint Sava Academy into the current University of Bucharest.-Presentation:...
. He wrote many papers and articles on classical philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
and etymology
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
. He had many contributions in the field of linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, phonetics
Phonetics
Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that comprises the study of the sounds of human speech, or—in the case of sign languages—the equivalent aspects of sign. It is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds or signs : their physiological production, acoustic properties, auditory...
and grammar
Grammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
of the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and Romanian language
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
s.
In 1956, Graur, alongside Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
Iorgu Iordan
Iorgu Iordan
Iorgu Iordan was a Romanian linguist, philologist, diplomat, journalist, and left-wing agrarian, later communist, politician. The author of works on a large variety of topics, most of them dealing with issues of the Romanian language and Romance languages in general, he was elected a full member...
, leading propagandist Leonte Tismăneanu
Leonte Tismaneanu
Leonte Tismăneanu was a Romanian communist activist and propagandist.Born into a Jewish family in Soroca, Bessarabia, Russian Empire , he joined the Romanian Communist Party in the early 1930s. He engaged in illegal communist activities in Bucharest, Galaţi, Brăila and Soroca...
, and the academics Mihai Novicov, Ion Coteanu, and Radu Florian, he took part in a University inquiry into the anti-communist
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
statements of Paul Goma
Paul Goma
Paul Goma is a Romanian writer, also known for his activities as a dissident and leading opponent of the communist regime before 1989. Forced into exile by the communist authorities, he became a political refugee and currently resides in France as a stateless person...
, a university student who later became a noted dissident
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
and writer; led by Iordan and supervised by the Securitate
Securitate
The Securitate was the secret police agency of Communist Romania. Previously, the Romanian secret police was called Siguranţa Statului. Founded on August 30, 1948, with help from the Soviet NKVD, the Securitate was abolished in December 1989, shortly after President Nicolae Ceaușescu was...
, the investigation culminated in Goma's expulsion from the Faculty and his subsequent arrest.
Published works
- Nom d‘agent et adjectif en roumain, Champion, Paris, 1929
- La romanité du Roumain, Editura Academiei Române, Bucharest, 1965
- The Romance Character of Romanian, Editura Academiei Române, Bucharest, 1965
- Nume de persoane, Bucureşti, Editura Ştiinţifică, Bucharest, 1965
- Tendinţele actuale ale limbii române, Editura Ştiinţifică, Bucharest, 1968
- Scrieri de ieri şi de azi, Editura Ştiinţifică, Bucharest, 1970
- Puţină... aritmetică, Editura Ştiinţifică, Bucharest, 1971
- Nume de locuri, Editura Ştiinţifică, Bucharest, 1972
- Gramatica azi, Editura Academiei Române, Bucharest, 1973
- Mic tratat de ortografie, Editura Ştiinţifică, Bucharest, 1974
- Dicţionar al greşelilor de limbǎ, Editura Academiei Române, Bucharest, 1982
- Puţină gramatică, Editura Academiei Române, Bucharest, 1987