![Erpenius Grammatica Arabica 1617](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Erpenius_Grammatica_Arabica_1617.jpg)
Thomas van Erpe, also known as Thomas Erpenius (September 11, 1584November 13, 1624),
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
Orientalist, was born at
Gorinchem
Gorinchem ( or ), also spelled Gorkum, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. It had a population of in .
The municipality of Gorinchem al ...
, in
Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
. He was the first European to publish an accurate book of
Arabic grammar
Arabic grammar or Arabic language sciences ( ar, النحو العربي ' or ar, عُلُوم اللغَة العَرَبِيَّة ') is the grammar of the Arabic language. Arabic is a Semitic language and its grammar has many similarities with ...
.
After completing his early education at
Leiden
Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wi ...
, he entered the
university of that city, and in 1608 took the degree of master of arts. On the advice of
Scaliger
The Della Scala family, whose members were known as Scaligeri () or Scaligers (; from the Latinized ''de Scalis''), was the ruling family of Verona and mainland Veneto (except for Venice) from 1262 to 1387, for a total of 125 years.
History
Wh ...
he studied
Oriental languages
A wide variety of languages are spoken throughout Asia, comprising different language families and some unrelated isolates. The major language families include Austroasiatic, Austronesian, Caucasian, Dravidian, Indo-European, Afroasiatic, Turk ...
whilst taking his course of
theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
. He afterwards travelled in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
and
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, forming connections with learned men, and availing himself of the information which they communicated. During his stay at Paris he contracted a friendship with
Casaubon, which lasted during his life, and also took lessons in
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
from an
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
ian,
Joseph Barbatus Yusuf ibn Abu Dhaqn known to the west as Josephus Abudacnus or Josephus Barbatus, was an Egyptian Copt who traveled in Europe mainly teaching Arabic in the 17th Century CE. He was born in Cairo around (?1570s CE)Alastair HamiltonAn Egyptian Travelle ...
, otherwise called Abu-dakni. However, given the limited knowledge Barbatus had in Arabic he later took lessons under the Moroccan Diplomat of
Andalusian origin
Aḥmad ibn Qāsim Al-Ḥajarī who was in France on a mission.
[Alastair Hamilton]
An Egyptian Traveller in the Republic of Letters: Josephus Barbatus or Abudacnus the Copt
Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Vol. 57. (1994), pp. 123-150.[''Europe through Arab eyes, 1578-1727'' by Nabil I. Matar p.75](_blank)
/ref>
At Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
he perfected himself in the Turkish, Persic and Ethiopic languages. After a long absence, Erpenius returned to his own country in 1612, and in February 1613 he was appointed professor of Arabic and other Oriental languages, Hebrew excepted, in the University of Leiden. Soon after his settlement at Leiden, animated by the example of Savary de Brèves, who had established an Arabic press at Paris at his own charge, he caused new Arabic characters to be cut at a great expense, and erected a press in his own house.
In 1619 the curators of the university of Leiden instituted a second chair of Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
in his favour. In 1620 he was sent by the States of Holland The States of Holland and West Frisia ( nl, Staten van Holland en West-Friesland) were the representation of the two Estates (''standen'') to the court of the Count of Holland. After the United Provinces were formed — and there no longer was a c ...
to induce Pierre Dumoulin
Pierre Du Moulin ( Latinized as Petrus Molinaeus; 16 October 1568 – 10 March 1658) was a Huguenot minister in France who also resided in England for some years.
Life
Born in Buhy in 1568, he was the son of Joachim Du Moulin, a Protestant minis ...
, or André Rivet
André Rivet (Andreas Rivetus) (August 1572 – 7 January 1651) was a French Huguenot theologian.
Life
Rivet was born at Saint-Maixent, 43 km (27 mi) southwest of Poitiers, France. After completing his education at Berne, he studied th ...
, to settle in that country; and after a second journey he was successful in inducing Rivet to comply with their request. Some time after the return of Erpenius, the states appointed him their interpreter; and in this capacity he had the duty imposed upon him of translating and replying to the different letters of the Moslem princes of Asia and Africa.
His reputation had now spread throughout all Europe, and several princes, the kings of England and Spain, and the archbishop of Seville
The Archdiocese of Seville is part of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's ol ...
made him the most flattering offers; but he constantly refused to leave his native country. He was preparing an edition of the Qur'an
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing. ...
with a Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
translation and notes, and was projecting an Oriental library, when he died prematurely on the 13 November 1624 in Leiden. His library of oriental books, papers and manuscripts, including six undated Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
manuscripts, was purchased by George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, 28 August 1592 – 23 August 1628), was an English courtier, statesman, and patron of the arts. He was a favourite and possibly also a lover of King James I of England. Buckingham remained at the ...
on behalf of Cambridge University
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
and eventually transferred to Cambridge University Library
Cambridge University Library is the main research library of the University of Cambridge. It is the largest of the over 100 libraries within the university. The Library is a major scholarly resource for the members of the University of Cambri ...
in 1632 by the University Librarian Abraham Wheelocke
Abraham Wheelock (1593 in Whitchurch, Shropshire – 25 September 1653) was an English linguist. He was the first Cambridge professor of Arabic.
Cambridge
He graduated MA from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1618, and became Fellow of Clare Colleg ...
.
Among his works may be mentioned his ''Grammatica Arabica'' (1748), published originally in 1613 and often reprinted; ''Rudimenta linguae Arabicae'' (1620); ''Grammatica Ebraea generalis'' (1621) ''Grammatica Chaldaea ac Syra'' (1628); and an edition of George Elmacin
Jirjis al-Makīn ( ar, جرجس امكين ; 1205–1273), known by his ''nisba'' Ibn al-ʿAmīd ( ar, بن العميد), was a Coptic Christian historian who wrote in Arabic. His name is sometimes anglicised as George Elmacin ( la, Georgius Elm ...
's ''Historia Saracenica, Arabice & Latine'' (History of the Saracens).
References
Attribution:
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Erpe, Thomas
1584 births
1624 deaths
Dutch orientalists
Linguists from the Netherlands
Leiden University alumni
Leiden University faculty
People from Gorinchem
17th-century Dutch people