James Elphinston (December 6, 1721 – October 8, 1809) was a well noted 18th-century Scottish educator, orthographer,

phonologist Phonology is the branch of linguistics that studies how languages or dialects systematically organize their sounds or, for sign languages, their constituent parts of signs. The term can also refer specifically to the sound or sign system of a ...

and

linguistics Linguistics is the science, 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 ...

expert.

Life

Elphinston was a good friend of Samuel Johnson as stated in ''Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.'' (1904, Oxford edition), Chapter IV

750 __NOTOC__ Year 750 ( DCCL) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 750 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era ...

and tutor of Alexander James Dallas. :"Mr. James Elphinston, who has since published various works, and who was ever esteemed by Johnson as a worthy man, happened to be in Scotland while the Rambler was coming out in single papers at London. With a laudable zeal at once for the improvement of his countrymen, and the reputation of his friend, he suggested and took the charge of an edition of those Essays at Edinburgh, which followed progressively the London publication." Thirty-six of Elphinston's translations of mottoes appear in Johnson's ''Rambler'', as part of a revised, corrected edition in July 1752 and subsequently. Johnson's affection for Elphinston is evident from a letter from early 1752 in which he wrote, "I beg of You to write soon, and to write often, and to write long letters, which I hope in time to repay you, but you must be a patient Creditor". In 1792, Elphinston moved to live in

Elstree Elstree is a large village in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England. It is about northwest of central London on the former A5 road, that follows the course of Watling Street. In 2011, its population was 5,110. It forms part of t ...

and finally to Hammersmith in 1806, where he died in 1809.

Robert Charles Dallas Robert Charles Dallas (1754 – 1824) was a Jamaican-born British poet and conservative writer. He is known also for a contentious book on Lord Byron, and a history of the Second Maroon War. Family Robert Charles Dallas was born in Kingston, Jama ...

was Elphinston's biographer in the 1809 edition of ''

Gentleman's Magazine ''The Gentleman's Magazine'' was a monthly magazine founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term '' magazine'' (from the French ''magazine' ...

'' no. 79. His translation of the Roman poet Martial has been criticised for its bowlderization and perceived low poetic value, for example

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

wrote a critical poem describing "laurell'd Martial calling Murther!" upon seeing the Elphinston translation.

Bibliography

*''Propriety Ascertained in Her Picture, (or English Speech and Spelling Rendered Mutual Guides, Secure Alike from Distant, and from Domestic, Error)''(1786, 1787) volumes*''The Principles of the English Language Digested for the use of Schools'' (1766) *''Inglish Orthography Epittomized'' (1790) *''Miniature of English Orthography'' (1795) Co-author of: *''The Epigrams of Marcus Valerius Martialis in twelve books: with commentary and translation into English by James Elphinston'' (1782)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Elphinston, James 1721 births 1809 deaths Phonologists Scottish educators Scottish linguists Scottish non-fiction writers People from Elstree