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Article published In: Historiographia Linguistica
Vol. 30:3 (2003) ► pp.259–272

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Some notes on the life and work of John Minsheu (1560–1627)

 | London
Published online: 25 March 2004
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https://doi.org/10.1075/hl.30.3.02sal
Summary
John Minsheu (1560–1627) has long been known to historians of lexicography as the author of an impressive comparative and etymological dictionary, Ductor in Linguas (1617). Less well known is his grammar of Spanish (1599), which is unusual for its time in displaying interest in socio-linguistic issues. This paper is intended to stimulate interest in the neglected grammar and to propose a solution to the mystery of Minsheu’s biography – a topic likewise overlooked in the literature. The paper ends with a set of proposals for further research.
Résumé
Les spécialistes en histoire de la lexicographie savent de John Minsheu (1560–1627) qu’l a écrit un excellent dictionnaire comparé et étymologique, Ductor in Linguas (1617). On connaît moins bien sa grammaire espagnole (1599), remarquable pour son époque parce que l’on y traitait de questions socio-linguistiques. Cet article a pour but de susciter de l’intérét pour cette grammaire négligée et d’offrir une solution au problème de la biographie de Minsheu, un autre sujet négligé par l’érudition. L’article se termine par un ensemble de suggestions quant aux recherches futures.
Zusammenfassung
John Minsheu (1560–1627) ist Historikern der Lexicographie schon lange als Author eines beeindruckenden vergleichenden und etymologischen Wörterbuchs, des Ductor in Linguas (1617), bekannt. Weniger bekannt ist seine Grammitk des Spanischen (1599), welche insofern ungewöhnlich für ihre Zeit war, als sie ein Interesse an soziolinguistischen Fragen zeigte. Der vorliegende Beitrag beabsichtigt, das Interesse an dieser wenig beachteten Grammatik zu wecken und gleichzeitig Aufklärungen zu Minsheus bisher dunklen Biographie zu liefern, ein Thema das gleicherweise bisher in der Literatur vernachlässigt worden ist. Der Artikel schließt mit einer Reihe von Vorschlägen für weitere Untersuchungen.
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