Hugo Brandt Corstius
Encyclopedia
Hugo Brandt Corstius is a Dutch
author known for his achievements in both literature and science.
In 1970, he was awarded a PhD on the subject of computational linguistics
. He used to work at the Mathematisch Centrum in Amsterdam
. However, to the general public he is mostly known for his writing, in particular
s, allonyms and aliases. He claims that each of those is part of his character.
In Vrij Nederland he used the pseudonym Piet Grijs and between 1979 and 1986 in de Volkskrant he used the pseudonym Stoker. Other pseudonyms include Battus (in NRC Handelsblad
and Vrij Nederland
), Raoul Chapkis, Victor Baarn, Dolf Cohen, Maaike Helder, Peter Malenkov and Talisman.
The Battus name is reserved for writing on linguistics
and language play, in columns, articles, and books. Many forms of word play (palindrome
s, the longest attested word in Dutch, e-less Dutch, etc. etc.) were bundled in the volume Opperlandse taal- & letterkunde
, ("Upperlandic linguistics", where "Upperlandic" is word play
on "Netherlandic
"), and twenty years later a sequel Opperlans! (deliberate misspelling). Both books are concerned with the form of Dutch words with little regard to meaning. He also wrote De Encyclopedie, a book parody
ing encyclopedia
s, containing about 300 pages numbered 1 through 40000 or thereabouts, with many pun
s, references to non-existent pages, and other jokes.
and his son Jelle is also an author, and was a correspondent
in Russia
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
author known for his achievements in both literature and science.
In 1970, he was awarded a PhD on the subject of computational linguistics
Computational linguistics
Computational linguistics is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the statistical or rule-based modeling of natural language from a computational perspective....
. He used to work at the Mathematisch Centrum in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. However, to the general public he is mostly known for his writing, in particular
- as columnist for Vrij NederlandVrij NederlandVrij Nederland is a Dutch magazine which was established during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II as an underground newspaper but has since grown into a magazine. The weekly magazine is generally considered to be intellectually left-wing...
(a magazine) and de VolkskrantDe Volkskrantde Volkskrant is a national daily Dutch morning newspaper, the leading centre-left broadsheet, although now in tabloid size.-History:...
(a newspaper) - as linguist and literary critic for Vrij Nederland, de Volkskrant, and NRC HandelsbladNRC HandelsbladNRC Handelsblad, often abbreviated to NRC, is a daily evening newspaper published in the Netherlands by NRC Media. The newspaper was created on October 1, 1970, from merger of the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant and Algemeen Handelsblad . In 2006 a morning newspaper, nrc•next, was launched...
(another newspaper)
Pseudonyms
Hugo Brandt Corstius has written under over sixty different pseudonymPseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s, allonyms and aliases. He claims that each of those is part of his character.
In Vrij Nederland he used the pseudonym Piet Grijs and between 1979 and 1986 in de Volkskrant he used the pseudonym Stoker. Other pseudonyms include Battus (in NRC Handelsblad
NRC Handelsblad
NRC Handelsblad, often abbreviated to NRC, is a daily evening newspaper published in the Netherlands by NRC Media. The newspaper was created on October 1, 1970, from merger of the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant and Algemeen Handelsblad . In 2006 a morning newspaper, nrc•next, was launched...
and Vrij Nederland
Vrij Nederland
Vrij Nederland is a Dutch magazine which was established during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II as an underground newspaper but has since grown into a magazine. The weekly magazine is generally considered to be intellectually left-wing...
), Raoul Chapkis, Victor Baarn, Dolf Cohen, Maaike Helder, Peter Malenkov and Talisman.
The Battus name is reserved for writing on 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....
and language play, in columns, articles, and books. Many forms of word play (palindrome
Palindrome
A palindrome is a word, phrase, number, or other sequence of units that can be read the same way in either direction, with general allowances for adjustments to punctuation and word dividers....
s, the longest attested word in Dutch, e-less Dutch, etc. etc.) were bundled in the volume Opperlandse taal- & letterkunde
Opperlandse taal- & letterkunde
Opperlandse taal- & letterkunde is a book dedicated to peculiarities of the Dutch language. It was written by 'Battus', one of many pseudonyms of Hugo Brandt Corstius. The title means "Upperlandic Language and Linguistics", where "Upperlandic" is word play on "Netherlandic"...
, ("Upperlandic linguistics", where "Upperlandic" is word play
Word play
Word play or wordplay is a literary technique in which the words that are used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement...
on "Netherlandic
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
"), and twenty years later a sequel Opperlans! (deliberate misspelling). Both books are concerned with the form of Dutch words with little regard to meaning. He also wrote De Encyclopedie, a book parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
ing encyclopedia
Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....
s, containing about 300 pages numbered 1 through 40000 or thereabouts, with many pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
s, references to non-existent pages, and other jokes.
Prizes
- 1978 - Cestoda-prijs
- 1978 - Burgemeester van Grunsven-prijs for his entire works
- 1985 - Busken Huetprijs for Rekenen op taal
- 1987 - P. C. Hooft AwardP. C. Hooft AwardThe P.C. Hooft Award is a Dutch language literary oeuvre award, given annually. The award is alternately given for prose , essays and poetry....
for his entire works
Personal life
His daughter Aaf is a columnistColumnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
and his son Jelle is also an author, and was a correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.