Peterolsen Groth Hjalmar Seierstedt Falk (April 2, 1859 – November 2, 1928) was a Norwegian

linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...

and

philologist Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as th ...

Early life and education

Falk was born in Vang. He started his university studies in 1876 and graduated with an education degree in languages and history in 1882. After this he taught in Oslo while continuing research, especially on Germanic languages and Nordic mythology, including scholarship stays in Germany and England. Falk received the Crown Prince Gold Medal in 1885Kvist, Kjetil. 2012. ''Kronprinsens gullmedalje''. Oslo: Uio, Museum for universitets- og vitenskapshistorie.
and was appointed a

docent The title of docent is conferred by some European universities to denote a specific academic appointment within a set structure of academic ranks at or below the full professor rank, similar to a British readership, a French " ''maître de conf ...

. He received his doctorate in 1888 with the dissertation ''Om nomina agentis i det oldnorske Sprog'' (Nomina Agentis in Old Norwegian).

Academic career

Falk became a professor of Germanic philology at the

University of Oslo The University of Oslo ( no, Universitetet i Oslo; la, Universitas Osloensis) is a public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the highest ranked and oldest university in Norway. It is consistently ranked among the top universit ...

in 1897. As a university instructor, especially a German instructor, he strove for more practical and modern language teaching. He published a number of works on linguistics, philology, and cultural history, especially in ''Nordisk Arkiv for Filologi'' and in materials published by the

Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters ( no, Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi, DNVA) is a learned society based in Oslo, Norway. Its purpose is to support the advancement of science and scholarship in Norway. History The Royal Frederick Univer ...

in Oslo. He is particularly remembered for his

etymological Etymology ()The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the form of words and ...

dictionary of the

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

and

Danish language Danish (; , ) is a North Germanic language spoken by about six million people, principally in and around Denmark. Communities of Danish speakers are also found in Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and the northern German region of Southern Schles ...

, which he wrote in cooperation with

Alf Torp Alf Torp (September 27, 1853 – September 26, 1916) was a Norwegian philologist and author. He is most known for his work with Indo-European and Nordic language history and meaning of ancient languages. Biography Alf Torp was born in Stryn, S ...

. He chaired the commission that recommended/prepared the orthography revision of 1917. He was decorated Knight, First Class of the Order of St. Olav.

Selected works

* ''Vanskabninger i det norske sprog, populaere foredrag'' (Errors in Norwegian, Popular Lectures, 1893) * ''Sprogets visne blomster: fortsættelse af "Vanskabninger i det norske sprog."'' (The Language's Withered Flowers: A Continiation of "Errors in Norwegian", 1894) * ''Kulturminder i Ord'' (Culture Memories in Words, 1900)

Positions and awards

*Chair of the

Norwegian Students' Society Norwegian Students' Society ( no, Det Norske Studentersamfund) is Norway's oldest student society. The Norwegian Students' Society was established during 1813 in Oslo, Norway. Two years after the Royal Frederick University (today named the Univer ...

(1895) *Dean of the Faculty of History and Arts (1906–1909) *Election to and chair of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters *Knight, First Class of the Order of St. Olav (1911)

References

1859 births 1928 deaths Germanic studies scholars Germanists Old Norse studies scholars People from Hamar Scandinavian studies scholars Norwegian philologists Linguists from Norway Academic staff of the University of Oslo {{norway-academic-bio-stub

Early life and education

Academic career

Selected works

Positions and awards

See also

References