Joseph Loth
Encyclopedia
Joseph Loth was a French linguist and historian who specialised in the study of Celtic languages
.
Loth was born in Guémené-sur-Scorff
, Brittany. After his studies at Sainte-Anne-d'Auray
, he became a teacher at Pontivy
, then Quimper and Saumur
until the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
in 1870. After the end of the conflict, he worked in various institutions in Paris. At this time he made the acquaintance of Henri d'Arbois de Jubainville, who encouraged him to study Celtic languages. In 1883 he was appointed to the Faculty of Arts at Rennes University, where he taught Celtic. That same year he founded the journal Annales de Bretagne, in which he published numerous studies and edited until 1910. He was appointed professor at the Collège de France
in 1910 and was elected member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
in 1919.
Loth published numerous articles in the Revue Celtique, re-edited Pierre de Chalons' Breton-French dictionary, and translated into French important Celtic literature including the Mabinogion
. He was also an early supporter of the detailed study of variations in local dialects.
Loth developed an influential model of the historical expansion of Breton into France. The farthest limit of spoken Breton is known as the "Loth line". It runs from Mont-Saint-Michel, through Hédé
, and on to the west of Rennes
to reach the Loire.
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
.
Loth was born in Guémené-sur-Scorff
Guémené-sur-Scorff
Guémené-sur-Scorff is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.It is located west of Pontivy.-Geography:Guémené is situated on the Scorff river and is unusual in that it is a commune without any outlying land and it is bounded by the town boundaries...
, Brittany. After his studies at Sainte-Anne-d'Auray
Sainte-Anne-d'Auray
Sainte-Anne-d'Auray is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Sainte-Anne-d'Auray are called in French Saintannois.-Breton language:...
, he became a teacher at Pontivy
Pontivy
Pontivy is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It lies at the confluence of the river Blavet and the Canal de Nantes à Brest.-History:...
, then Quimper and Saumur
Saumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
until the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
in 1870. After the end of the conflict, he worked in various institutions in Paris. At this time he made the acquaintance of Henri d'Arbois de Jubainville, who encouraged him to study Celtic languages. In 1883 he was appointed to the Faculty of Arts at Rennes University, where he taught Celtic. That same year he founded the journal Annales de Bretagne, in which he published numerous studies and edited until 1910. He was appointed professor at the Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
in 1910 and was elected member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
The Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres is a French learned society devoted to the humanities, founded in February 1663 as one of the five academies of the Institut de France.-History:...
in 1919.
Loth published numerous articles in the Revue Celtique, re-edited Pierre de Chalons' Breton-French dictionary, and translated into French important Celtic literature including the Mabinogion
Mabinogion
The Mabinogion is the title given to a collection of eleven prose stories collated from medieval Welsh manuscripts. The tales draw on pre-Christian Celtic mythology, international folktale motifs, and early medieval historical traditions...
. He was also an early supporter of the detailed study of variations in local dialects.
Loth developed an influential model of the historical expansion of Breton into France. The farthest limit of spoken Breton is known as the "Loth line". It runs from Mont-Saint-Michel, through Hédé
Hédé
Hédé-Bazouges is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Bretagne in north-western France.On 1 January 2008, the village of Saint-Symphorien was separated from the commune, and given the status of commune in its own right.....
, and on to the west of Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
to reach the Loire.
Writings
- L'Émigration Bretonne en Armorique du Ve au VII siècle de notre ère, Rennes 1883 réédition Slatkine Reprints Paris-Genève-Gex 1980 (ISBN 2051001022)
- , 1884
- Remarques sur le bas vannetais, 1886
- Le Mabinogi de Kulhwch et Olwen, tiré à part de la Revue de Bretagne et de Vendée, mars / avril / mai 1888, Éd. Prud'homme, Saint-Brieuc.
- Le Dialecte de l'Île aux Moines, 1893, (réédité et corrigé par Patrick Le Besco, Ar Skol vrezoneg/Emgleo Breiz, Brest, 1999)
- Chrestomathie bretonne