Dear All,
Occupied in a fascinating seminar in Paris on the beginnings of professional sanskrit studies in Europe (« Antoine-Léonard de Chézy et les débuts des études sanskrites en Europe, 1800-1850 »), I was not yet able to contribute my hommage to Otto Böhtlingk, whose birthday bicentenary was yesterday (11 June 1815 acc. to Gregorian calendar). Important remarks on this occasion have circulated yesterday on the "IndoloGIE" forum. I'd like to especially highlight his foundational work in the domains of modern Sanskrit lexicography, Vedic studies and grammar (vyākrti = vyākaraṇa).
शब्दकोशकृतां श्रेष्ठो
वेदव्याकृतिवित्तमः ।
मेन्देलेयेव्-हिताधाता
यस्तस्मै मम वन्दनम् ॥
About the relationship Böhtlingk - Mendeleev we may hear more at the Linguistics Section at the upcoming World Sanskrit Conference in Bangkok.
jan houben