Hans Kurath
Encyclopedia
Hans Kurath was an American linguist
of Austrian origin. He was full professor for English and Linguistics at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He is predominantly known for publishing the first linguistic atlas of the US, the Linguistic Atlas of New England
, for which he received the Loubat Prize
, and for being the first main editor of the Middle English Dictionary
. Together with Raven I. McDavid, Jr. he also published a linguistic atlas of the eastern United States, The Pronunciation of English in the Atlantic States.
, Austria
, and emigrated to the US in 1907 and became a US citizen in 1912. He studied at the universities of Texas and Chicago
. He did his Ph.D. in 1920. Afterwards he was professor for German at Northwestern University
(1920–1927), then professor for German and Linguistics at the Ohio State University
(1927–1931) and Brown University
(1931–1946). In 1929 he initiated the American Linguistic Atlas Project. In 1946, finally, he became Full Professor for English and Linguistics at the University of Michigan
, Ann Arbor (1946–1962). In 1941 he was president of the Linguistic Society of America
. In 1959 he received an honorary doctor's degree from the University of Chicago
.
He died in Ann Arbor, Michigan
at the age of 100. His wife was the ethnomusicologist Gertrude Prokosch Kurath
.
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....
of Austrian origin. He was full professor for English and Linguistics at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He is predominantly known for publishing the first linguistic atlas of the US, the Linguistic Atlas of New England
Linguistic Atlas of New England
The Linguistic Atlas of New England, edited by Hans Kurath, is a linguistic map describing the dialects of New England....
, for which he received the Loubat Prize
Loubat Prize
The Loubat Prize was a pair of prizes awarded by Columbia University every five years between 1913 and 1958 for the best social science works in the English language about North America.The awards were established and endowed by Joseph Florimond, Duc de Loubat...
, and for being the first main editor of the Middle English Dictionary
Middle English Dictionary
The Middle English Dictionary is a dictionary of Middle English published by the University of Michigan. "Its 15,000 pages offer a comprehensive analysis of lexicon and usage for the period 1100-1500, based on the analysis of a collection of over three million citation slips, the largest collection...
. Together with Raven I. McDavid, Jr. he also published a linguistic atlas of the eastern United States, The Pronunciation of English in the Atlantic States.
Life
Kurath was born in VillachVillach
Villach is the second largest city in the Carinthia state in the southern Austria, at the Drava River and represents an important traffic junction for Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the population is 58,480.-History:...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and emigrated to the US in 1907 and became a US citizen in 1912. He studied at the universities of Texas and Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. He did his Ph.D. in 1920. Afterwards he was professor for German at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
(1920–1927), then professor for German and Linguistics at the Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
(1927–1931) and Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
(1931–1946). In 1929 he initiated the American Linguistic Atlas Project. In 1946, finally, he became Full Professor for English and Linguistics at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, Ann Arbor (1946–1962). In 1941 he was president of the Linguistic Society of America
Linguistic Society of America
The Linguistic Society of America is a professional society for linguists. It was founded in 1924 to advance linguistics, the scientific study of human language. The LSA has over 5,000 individual members and welcomes linguists of all kinds. It works to advance the discipline and to communicate...
. In 1959 he received an honorary doctor's degree from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
.
He died in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
at the age of 100. His wife was the ethnomusicologist Gertrude Prokosch Kurath
Gertrude Prokosch Kurath
Gertrude Prokosch Kurath was an American dancer, researcher, author, and ethnomusicologist. She researched and wrote extensively on the study of dance, co-authoring several books and writing hundreds of articles...
.
Fields of interest
- LexicographyLexicographyLexicography is divided into two related disciplines:*Practical lexicography is the art or craft of compiling, writing and editing dictionaries....
- DialectologyDialectologyDialectology is the scientific study of linguistic dialect, a sub-field of sociolinguistics. It studies variations in language based primarily on geographic distribution and their associated features...
- Middle EnglishMiddle EnglishMiddle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....
- American EnglishAmerican EnglishAmerican English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
Important publications
- Linguistic Atlas of New England, 3 vols., New York 1939–43
- Handbook of the Linguistic Geography of New England, Providence 1939
- A Word Geography of the Eastern United States, Ann Arbor 1949
- main editor of the first volumes of the Middle English Dictionary, from 1946 through 1962, Ann Arbor.
- The Pronunciation of English in the Atlantic States (together with Raven I. McDavid, Jr.), Ann Arbor 1961