HERVAS y PANDURO, Lorenzo - A Stan Klos Biography
HERVAS y PANDURO, Lorenzo (ayr-vahs'),
Spanish philologist, born in Horcajo in 1785; died in Rome in 1809. He was a
Jesuit, and taught philosophy in the Seminary of Madrid and the College of
Marcia. About 1760 he was sent to the missions of South America, and for several
years he labored in the district of Mainas, Peru, where he made a special study
of the Indian languages.
On the expulsion of the Jesuits from the Spanish dominions
in 1787, he went to Italy, became canonical adviser to the Cardinals Albani and
Roberello, and was appointed prefect of the Quirinal Library. Here he prosecuted
his favorite studies of geography and aboriginal languages.
Besides many philosophical and historical works, he
published " Vocabulario poliglota," containing the grammatical elements of
eighteen South American languages (Rome, 1784); "Origen, formación, mecanismo, y
armonía de los idiomas" (Madrid, 1790); "Historia de las primeras colonias de
America" (Madrid, 1794); "Aritmética de las naciones y división del tiempo entre
los Orientales " (Madrid, 1796); and the most important work, "Catálogo de las
lenguas de las naciones conocidas y numeración, división, y clases de éstas
segun la diversidad de sus idiomas y dialectos" (2 vols., Madrid, 1800). This
work, in the 4th and 5th chapters, treats of the languages of Peru, and
especially of Mainas. The author says that he cannot even pretend to count the
South American Indian dialects, but they must number at least 500.
He has also investigated the question of the origin of the
American races, and concludes that the tribes peopling the Pacific coast must
have come from Asia by way of the Aleutian Islands, while those on the Atlantic
side came from Africa by way of the West Indian islands, which formerly
connected with the fabulous submerged Atlantis.
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia by John Looby, Copyright © 2001 VirtualologyTM
HERVAS y PANDUR0, Lorenzo (ayr-vahs'), Spanish philologist, born in Horcajo in 1785; died in Rome in 1S09. He was a Jesuit. and taught philosophy in the Seminary of Madrid and the College of Marcia. About 1760 he was sent to the missions of South America. and for several years he labored in the district of Mainas, Peru, where he made a special study of the Indian languages. On the expulsion of the Jesuits from the Spanish dominions in 1787, he went to Italy, became canonical adviser to the cardinals Albani and Roberello, and was appointed prefect of the Quirinal library. Here he prosecuted his favorite studies of geography and aboriginal languages. Besides many philosophical and historical works, he published " Vocabulario poliglota," containing the grammatical elements of eighteen South American languages (Rome, 1784); "Origen, formaciSn, mecanismo, y armonia de los idiomas" (Madrid, 1790); "Historia de las primeras colenias de America" (Madrid, 1794); "Aritmetica de las naciones y division del tiempo entre los Orientales " (Madrid, 1796); and the most important work, " Cat, logo de las lenguas de las na-clones conocidas" y numeracion, division, y clases de estas segun la diversidad de sus idiomas y dialectos" (2 vols., Madrid, 1800). This work, in the 4th and 5th chapters, treats of the languages of Peru, and especially of Mainas. The author says that he cannot even pretend to count the South American Indian dialects, but they must number at least 500. He has also investigated the question of the origin of the American races, and concludes that the tribes peopling the Pacific coast must have come from Asia by way of the Aleutian islands, while those on the Atlantic side came from Africa by way of the West Indian islands, which formerly connected with the fabulous submerged Atlantis.
