Cover not available

In:Germanic Interrelations: Studies in memory of Hans Frede Nielsen
Edited by Stephen Laker, Carla Falluomini, Steffen Krogh, Robert Nedoma and Michael Schulte
[NOWELE Supplement Series 34] 2025
► pp. 144–156

Get fulltext
PDF logo with download linkDownload Chapter PDF
EPUB logo with download linkDownload Chapter EPUB

Rasmus Rask and Vilhelm Thomsen

The Danish godfathers of Finnish linguistics

 | University of Helsinki
Open Access logo
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Published online: 6 May 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/nss.34.09kal
Abstract
This paper is a tribute not only to Hans Frede Nielsen but also to all the other Danish linguists on behalf of all the Finnish linguists. Namely, Finland would hardly have become a “superpower” in Uralic studies without the boost of the two great Danish Indo-Europeanists, Rasmus Rask and Vilhelm Thomsen, who were instrumental in launching the two 19th-century comparative linguistic revolutions in Finland: Palaeogrammarian and Neogrammarian. While Rask served as a role model for the earliest Finnish Uralicists A. J. Sjögren and M. A. Castrén, Thomsen started the modern era in Finnic and Sámi studies, inspiring the foremost Finnish Neogrammarians E. N. Setälä and J. J. Mikkola.
Article outline
  • Prologue
  • Rasmus Rask
  • Vilhelm Thomsen
  • Epilogue
  • Notes
  • References
References (67)
References
Aalto, P. 1971. Oriental studies in Finland 1828–1918. Helsinki: Societas Scientiarum Fennica.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1987. Modern language studies in Finland 1828–1918. Helsinki: Societas Scientiarum Fennica.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ahlqvist, A. 1859. Nachrichten über Tschuwaschen und Tscheremissen. Archiv für wissenschaftliche Kunde von Russland 18. 39–64.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1871. De vestfinska språkens kulturord: Ett linguistiskt bidrag till finnarnes äldre kulturhistoria. Helsinki: Frenckell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Aikio, A. & J. Ylikoski. 2007. Suopmelaš gielaid l-kásusiid álgovuođđu sáme- ja eará fuolkegielaid čuovggas. In J. Ylikoski & A. Aikio (eds.), Sámit, sánit, sátnehámit: Riepmočála Pekka Sammallahtii miessemánu 21. beaivve 2007, 11–71. Helsinki: Société Finno-Ougrienne.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2016. The origin of the Finnic l-cases. Fenno-Ugrica Suecana Nova Series 15. 59–158.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Basbøll, H. 2005. The phonology of Danish. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bjørn, R. G. 2017. Foreign elements in the Proto-Indo-European vocabulary. MA thesis, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen.
Branch, M. 1973. A. J. Sjögren: Studies of the North. Helsinki: Société Finno-Ougrienne.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Collinge, N. E. 1985. The laws of Indo-European. Amsterdam: Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Eyser, J. 1912. Thomsen-Bibliografi. In Festschrift für Vilhelm Thomsen zur Vollendung des siebzigsten Lebensjahres am 25. Januar 1912, 222–236. Leipzig: Harrassowitz.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gregersen, F. 2013. Introduction to the new edition of Niels Ege’s 1993 translation of Rasmus Rask’s prize essay of 1818. In R. K. Rask, Investigation of the origin of the Old Norse or Icelandic language, xi–xlvii. Amsterdam: Benjamins.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gyarmathi, S. 1799. Affinitas linguae Hungaricae cum linguis Fennicae originis grammatice demonstrata. Göttingen: Dieterich.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Häkli, E. 2017. Rasmus Rasks korrespondens med språkforskare i Finland. Helsinki: Kansalliskirjasto.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Holopainen, S. 2019. Indo-Iranian borrowings in Uralic: Critical overview of sound substitutions and distribution criterion. PhD dissertation, University of Helsinki, Helsinki.
Hyllested, A. 2014. Word exchange at the gates of Europe: Five millennia of language contact. PhD dissertation, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen.
Jespersen, O. 1897. Karl Verner. Tilskueren 14. 3–17.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Junttila, S. 2016. Tiedon kumuloituminen ja trendit lainasanatutkimuksessa: Kantasuomen balttilaislainojen tutkimushistoria. PhD dissertation, University of Helsinki, Helsinki.
Kallio, P. 2015. The stratigraphy of the Germanic loanwords in Finnic. In J. O. Askedal & H. F. Nielsen (eds.), Early Germanic languages in contact, 23–38. Amsterdam: Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
2019. Daniel Europaeus and Indo-Uralic. In A. Kloekhorst & T. Pronk (eds.), The precursors of Proto-Indo-European: The Indo-Anatolian and Indo-Uralic hypotheses, 74–87. Leiden: Brill. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Konow, S. 1927. Vilhelm Thomsen. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland 59. 929–934. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Korhonen, M. 1986. Finno-Ugrian language studies in Finland 1828–1918. Helsinki: Societas Scientiarum Fennica.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kortlandt, F. 1995. General linguistics and Indo-European reconstruction. Rask 2. 91–109.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kylstra, A. D., S.-L. Hahmo, T. Hofstra & O. Nikkilä. 1991–2012. Lexikon der älteren germanischen Lehnwörter in den ostseefinnischen Sprachen. Amsterdam: Rodopi.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Laine, P. 2020. Suutarinpojasta Venäjän tiedeakatemian akateemikoksi: A. J. Sjögrenin ura Pietarissa 1820–1855. PhD dissertation, Tampere University, Tampere.
Lauerma, P. 2019. Observations on the Finnish grammar of Rasmus Rask. Folia Uralica Debreceniensia 26. 193–208.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Leem, K. 1748. En lappisk Grammatica efter den Dialect, som bruges af Field-Lapperne udi Porsanger-Fiorden. Copenhagen: Missionens Bekostning.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lehmann, W. P. 1967. A reader in nineteenth-century historical Indo-European linguistics. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lönnrot, E. 1866–1880. Suomalais-Ruotsalainen Sanakirja: Finskt-Svenskt Lexikon. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Markey, T. L. 1976. Rasmus Kristian Rask: His life and work. In R. K. Rask, A grammar of the Icelandic or Old Norse tongue, xv–xxxv. Amsterdam: Benjamins.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mayrhofer, M. 1983. Sanskrit und die Sprachen Alteuropas: Zwei Jahrhunderte des Widerspiels von Entdeckungen und Irrtümern. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mikkola, J. J. 1894. Berührungen zwischen den westfinnischen und slavischen Sprachen. Helsinki: Société Finno-Ougrienne. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1927. Vilhelm Thomsen ja suomalainen kielentutkimus. Virittäjä 31. 297–299.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1938. Die älteren Berührungen zwischen Ostseefinnisch und Russisch. Helsinki: Société Finno-Ougrienne.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nielsen, H. F. 1994. On the dialectical split of Ingveonic West Germanic from the Early Runic language of Scandinavia. In K. Düwel (ed.), Runische Schriftkultur in kontinental-skandinavischer und -angelsächsischer Wechselbeziehung, 117–127. Berlin: De Gruyter. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
2003. Rask, Rasmus Kristian. In H. Beck, D. Geuenich & H. Steuer (eds.), Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde 24, 143–146. Berlin: De Gruyter.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
2008. Rasmus Kristian Rask (1787–1832): Liv og levned. Rask 28. 25–42.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nørtoft, M. 2015. Tidlige låneord i finnopermiske sprog og deres rolle for placeringen af et germansk urhjem: Et arkæologisk-lingvistisk eksperiment. BA thesis, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen.
Olsen, B. A. 2017. Reconstruction and realism in Indo-European linguistics. In A. Hyllested, B. Nielsen Whitehead, T. Olander & B. A. Olsen (eds.), Language and prehistory of the Indo- European peoples: A cross-disciplinary perspective, 107–121. Copenhagen: Tusculanum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rask, R. K. 1811. Vejledning til det Islandske eller gamle Nordiske Sprog. Copenhagen: Schuboth.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1818. Undersögelse om det gamle Nordiske eller Islandske Sprogs Oprindelse. Copenhagen: Gyldendal.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1821. Finnische Sprache und Literatur. Jahrbücher der Literatur 15. 14–27.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1832. Ræsonneret lappisk Sproglære efter den Sprogart, som bruges af Fjældlapperne i Porsangerfjorden i Finmarken. Copenhagen: Schuboth.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1834–1838. Samlede tildels forhen utrykte Afhandlinger. Copenhagen: Popp.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1932–1935. Udvalgte Afhandlinger. Copenhagen: Levin & Munksgaard.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rasmussen, J. E. 1983. Two phonological issues in Germanic. Acta Linguistica Hafniensia 18. 201–219. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Renvall, G. 1826. Suomalainen sana-kirja: Lexicon Linguæ Finnicæ. Turku: Frenckell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1840. Finsk språklära: Enligt den rena Vest-Finska, i Bokspråk vanliga Dialecten. Turku: Hjelt.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sajnovics, J. 1770. Demonstratio: Idioma Ungarorum et Lapponum idem esse. Trnava: Collegium Academicum Societatis Jesu.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sandfeld, K., O. Jespersen, H. Høffding & E. N. Setälä. 1927. Vilhelm Thomsen. Oversigt over det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskabs Forhandlinger: Juni 1926 — Maj 1927, 87–135.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schmitt, R. 1990. Ernst Kuhn und Vilhelm Thomsen: Aspekte ihres Forschens im Spiegel ihrer Korrespondenz. Copenhagen: The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schott, W. 1841. De Lingua Tschuwaschorum. Berlin: Veitius. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schrijver, P. 2014. Language contact and the origins of the Germanic languages. London: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Setälä, E. N. 1890–1891. Yhteissuomalainen äännehistoria. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1913. Bibliographisches verzeichnis der in der literatur behandelten älteren germanischen bestandteile in den ostseefinnischen sprachen. Finnish-Ugrische Forschungen 13. 345–475.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sjögren, A. J. 1955. Tutkijan tieni. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
2020. Allmänna Ephemerider: Dagböckerna 1806–1855. Helsinki: Kansalliskirjasto.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Thomsen, V. 1869. Den gotiske sprogklasses indflydelse på den finske: En sproghistorisk undersøgelse. Copenhagen: Gyldendal.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1870. Über den einfluss der germanischen sprachen auf die finnisch-lappischen: Eine sprachgeschichtliche untersuchung. Halle: Waisenhaus.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1877. The relations between ancient Russia and Scandinavia and the origin of the Russian state. Oxford: Parker.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1888. Sproglige vidnesbyrd om beröringer mellem finsk-ugriske og forskellige indoeuropæiske folkeslag. Kort Udsigt over det philologisk-historiske Samfunds Virksomhed 2. 123–124.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1890. Beröringer mellem de finske og de baltiske (litauisk-lettiske) Sprog: En sproghistorisk Undersøgelse. Copenhagen: Blanco Lunos.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1896. Inscriptions de l’Orkhon. Helsinki: Société Finno-Ougrienne. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1916. Turcica: Études concernant l’interprétation des inscriptions turques de la Mongolie et de la Sibérie. Helsinki: Société Finno-Ougrienne.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
1919–1931. Samlede afhandlinger. Copenhagen: Gyldendal.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Verner, K. 1877. Eine ausnahme der ersten lautverschiebung. Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung auf dem Gebiete der Indogermanischen Sprachen 23. 97–130.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wettenhovi-Aspa, G. S. 1915. Finlands Gyllene Bok I: Svar på Svenskt i Finland. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue