Antonio de Nebrija

Antonio de Nebrija
Statue of Antonio de Nebrija, outside of the Biblioteca Nacional de España, in Madrid.

Antonio de Lebrija (Lebrija, Seville 1441 — Alcalá de Henares, 5 July 1522), also known as Antonio de Nebrija, Elio Antonio de Lebrija, Antonius Nebrissensis, and Antonio of Lebrixa, (1441–1522) was a Spanish scholar, known for writing a grammar of the Castilian language, credited as one of the first published grammars of a Romance language. The first grammar of a Romance language ever published was that of the Occitan language in the work "Donatz proensals" by Hugues Faidit (circa 1240).

Contents

Name

Nebrija's given name was Antonio Martínez de Calá. In typical humanist fashion, he latinized his name as Aelius Antonius Nebrissensis by taking Aelius from the Roman inscriptions of his native Lebrija, the Roman Nebrissa Veneria. He also signed his books as Antonius Lebrixen (1481) and Antonius Nebrissen (1501).

Life

After studying at Salamanca Nebrija resided for ten years in Italy, and completed his education at Bologna University. On his return to Spain (1473), he devoted himself to the advancement of classical learning among his fellow countrymen. After obtaining the professorship of poetry and grammar at Salamanca, he was transferred to the university of Alcalá de Henares.

Nebrija's services to the cause of classical literature in Spain have been compared with those rendered by Valla, Erasmus and Scidaeus to Italy, the Netherlands and France. In 1492, he published the first grammar of the Spanish language. He dedicated this book to Isabella I of Castile, the catholic queen. When the book was presented to her, she asked: "Why would I want a work like this? I already know the language." He answered: "Majesty, the language is the instrument of the empire."

Nebrija produced a large number of works on a variety of subjects, including a Latin-Spanish dictionary, and commentaries on Sedulius and Persius.

Works

  • Introductiones latinae, 1481
  • Gramática de la lengua castellana, 1492
  • Latin-Spanish (1492) and Spanish-Latin (1495) dictionaries.

Grammatical Ideas

Nebrija's work was mainly based on the previous works by Latin authors like Prisciano, Dimedes or Donato, but introducing new concepts. He considered the grammar to be the highest science. To him, it was divided in Ortography, Prose, Etymology and Syntax. He was the first author to make claims on intellectual property.

References

  • Nicolás Antonio, Bibliotheca Hispana Nova, i. 132 (1888)
  • Prescott, History of Ferdinand and Isabella, i. 410 (note)
  • Thomas McCrie, The Reformation in Spain in the Sixteenth Century (1829).
  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

External links


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  • Antonio de Nebrija — (Statue in Madrid, A. Nogués). Elio Antonio de Nebrija, (* 1444 als Antonio Martínez de Cala in Lebrija, Provinz Sevilla; † 5. Juli 1522 in Alcalá de Henares) war ein spanischer …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Antonio De Nebrija — Statue à Madrid (A. Nogués, XIXe siècle). Antonio Martínez de Calá (Lebrija 1441 Alcalá de Henares 1522), plus connu comme Antonio de Nebrija, parfois Antonio de Lebrija (Antonius Nebriss …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Antonio de nebrija — Statue à Madrid (A. Nogués, XIXe siècle). Antonio Martínez de Calá (Lebrija 1441 Alcalá de Henares 1522), plus connu comme Antonio de Nebrija, parfois Antonio de Lebrija (Antonius Nebriss …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Antonio de Nebrija — Antonio Martínez de Calá (Lebrija 1441 Alcalá de Henares 1522), más conocido como Antonio de Nebrija también podemos escontrarlo con la grafía Antonio de Lebrija (en la publicación de Introductiones Latinae de 1501 encontramos Antonius Nebrissen; …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Antonio de Nebrija — Para otros usos de este término, véase Antonio de Nebrija (desambiguación). Retrato de Antonio de Nebrija. Antonio Martínez de Cala y Jarava (Lebrija, Sevilla, 1441 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid …   Wikipedia Español

  • Antonio de Nebrija — Statue à Madrid (A. Nogués, XIXe siècle). Antonio Martínez de Calá (Lebrija 1441 Alcalá de Henares 1522), plus connu comme Antonio de Nebrija, parfois Antonio de Lebrija (Antonius Nebrissen dans l édition de Introductiones Latinae …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Antonio de Nebrija (desambiguación) — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda El término Antonio de Nebrija puede referirse a: el humanista y gramático español Antonio Martínez de Cala y Jarava conocido como Antonio de Nebrija; la Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, de Madrid. el Colegio Mayor… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Universidad Antonio de Nebrija — Lema «Living Nebrija, Living Universidad» Tipo Privada Fundación 1995 Localización Dir …   Wikipedia Español

  • Colegio Mayor Antonio de Nebrija — Lema «Magnes Amoris Amor» Tipo Masculino Universidad Universidad Complutense de Madrid Fundación 1951 …   Wikipedia Español

  • Universidad Antonio de Nebrija — La Universidad Antonio de Nebrija es una Universidad privada situada en Madrid. Tiene dos campus: uno en la Dehesa de la Villa y otro en La Berzosa …   Enciclopedia Universal

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