Matija Petar Katancic
Encyclopedia
Matija Petar Katančić was a Croatian writer, professor of aesthetics and archaeology, lexicographer, numismatist.
, he received his initial education in his native town, to continue his further education in Pecz
, Budim, Baia
and Szegedin. He had begun his noviciate in Vienna
and entered the order, taking the name Petar. He completed his theological studies in Osijek
, and his philosophical studies, aesthetics and poetics, in Budim.
He worked for 10 years as a professor in Osijek
, and when the Germanization wave strongly hit the Osijek grammar school (in 1788), he left for Zagreb
where he started keeping company with the Bishop of Zagreb, Maksimilijan Vrhovac
.
He was later elected professor of archaeology and numismatics in Budim (1795), but on account of bad health he had to stop teaching in 1800, in order to dedicate himself to science and also to the translation of the Bible
into Croatian. In 1817 he wrote the Booklet on Illyrian poetry - De poesi Illyrica libellus, in which he tried to justify and explain his poetic starting position. He also published a number of very important books from the area of ancient archaeology in Panonia (Slavonia
).
Katančić died in Budim.
His work that is of utmost importance for the Croatian literature and culture is his translation of the complete Bible in six big volumes, the Old and the New Testament, published after his death, in Budim in 1831. He is also the author of two unfinished dictionaries, the huge semantic-etymological law dictionary, and the Latin-Croatian Etymologicon illyricum. Though some of his huge opus remained unfinished and incomplete, Katančić's conception of the indigenousness of Croats
(Illyrians) and his texts written in the fully formed Štokavian-ikavian dialect of the Croatian language
made a strong impact on the Croatian national revival.
Biography
As a bootmaker's son from ValpovoValpovo
Valpovo is a town in Slavonia, Croatia. It is close to the Drava river in the region of Slavonia, northwest of Osijek. The population of Valpovo is 7,396, with a total of 11,570 in the municipality.-Demographics:...
, he received his initial education in his native town, to continue his further education in Pecz
Pecz
Pęcz is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Strzelin, within Strzelin County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Prior to 1945, it was in Germany....
, Budim, Baia
Baia
Baia is a commune in the Suceava County, Romania with a population of 6,793 . It is composed of two villages, Baia and Bogata. Located on the Moldova River, it was one of the earliest urban settlements in Moldavia, originally inhabited by Germans...
and Szegedin. He had begun his noviciate in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and entered the order, taking the name Petar. He completed his theological studies in Osijek
Osijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
, and his philosophical studies, aesthetics and poetics, in Budim.
He worked for 10 years as a professor in Osijek
Osijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
, and when the Germanization wave strongly hit the Osijek grammar school (in 1788), he left for Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
where he started keeping company with the Bishop of Zagreb, Maksimilijan Vrhovac
Maksimilijan Vrhovac
Maksimilijan Vrhovac was the bishop of Zagreb. He was one of the ideological architects of the Croatian national revival. Vrhovac is well-remembered for his tireless work to collect the nation's spiritual treasure and spread the access to books among the Croatian people...
.
He was later elected professor of archaeology and numismatics in Budim (1795), but on account of bad health he had to stop teaching in 1800, in order to dedicate himself to science and also to the translation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
into Croatian. In 1817 he wrote the Booklet on Illyrian poetry - De poesi Illyrica libellus, in which he tried to justify and explain his poetic starting position. He also published a number of very important books from the area of ancient archaeology in Panonia (Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
).
Katančić died in Budim.
His work that is of utmost importance for the Croatian literature and culture is his translation of the complete Bible in six big volumes, the Old and the New Testament, published after his death, in Budim in 1831. He is also the author of two unfinished dictionaries, the huge semantic-etymological law dictionary, and the Latin-Croatian Etymologicon illyricum. Though some of his huge opus remained unfinished and incomplete, Katančić's conception of the indigenousness of Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
(Illyrians) and his texts written in the fully formed Štokavian-ikavian dialect of the Croatian language
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
made a strong impact on the Croatian national revival.