Cœurdoux entered the novitiate of the Jesuits in 1715, was ordained in 1725, and made his final religious profession as a Jesuit in 1731, at Orléans. Shortly afterwards he left for India, arriving at the Madurai Mission (now in Tamil Nadu in southern India) in 1732.
Career as a missionary and religious superior
Cœurdoux first studied Telugu, a major language of the Dravidian group, in order to work in the region of present Andhra Pradesh, in particular Krishnapuram, Bukkapuram, and Darmavaram Madigubba (1736 to 1737). In 1737, for health reasons, he had to return and remain in Pondicherry. He was the superior of the mission at Karnataka from 1744 to 1751 while he was serving the 4,000 Catholic Tamils in Pondicherry. As superior, he was obliged, against his own inclinations, to enforce the very restrictive decree of Pope Benedict XIV (12 September 1744 ) on the "Malabar rites". Convinced of the importance of the contemplative life, he brought together a number of Tamil girls and founded a Carmeliteconvent with them in 1748.
Contributions to Indology
Cœurdoux is best known today as an Indologist. Talented at languages, he composed a Telugu–French–Sanskrit dictionary which is still authoritative. A disciple of the Jesuit philologist Jean Calmette, whom he knew personally in India, he was particularly interested in comparative linguistics. Max Müller called him the father of comparative philology. He was in contact with the French Indologists Anquetil Duperron and Joseph Nicolas de l'Isle. In a Mémoire sent to the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres (France) in 1767, he demonstrated the similarity between the Sanskrit, Latin, Greek, and even German and Russian. His observations were later compiled and published by others in Europe. He never returned to his homeland. Anquetil Duperron published a whole chapter after the French Revolution.[1] Abbé Dubois also used them, passing them off to the British East India Company in Madras as his own work (1808). It was only in the late 20th century, thanks to the work of J.J. Godfrey and Sylvia Murr (see Bibliography), that Cœurdoux's role in the discovery of the relationship between Sanskrit and the ancient languages of Europe had been re-established.[2]
Bibliography
Mœurs et coutumes des Indiens. Ed. N.-J. Desvaulx. 1777.
Anquetil Duperron (1808) "Supplément au Mémoire qui prècéde" (Supplement to the preceding memoir), Mémoires de littérature, tirés des registres de l'Académie royale des inscriptions et belles-lettres (Memoirs on literature, drawn from the records of the Royal Academy of Inscriptions and Belle-lettres), 49 : 647–697.
John J. Godfrey (1967) "Sir William Jones and Père Coeurdoux: A philological footnote," Journal of the American Oriental Society, 87 (1) : 57–59.
^Richard De Smet, Review of Sylvie Murr, Vol. 1: Mœurs et coutumes des Indiens (1777): Un inédit du père G.-L. Cœurdoux, S.J. dans la version de N.-J. Desvaulx. Vol. II: L’indologie du père Cœurdoux (Paris: Ecole française d’extrême-orient, 1987), Indian Theological Studies 27 (1990) 371–373.
Further reading
Armenteros, Carolina. "The Enlightened Conservatism of the Malabar Missions: Gaston-Laurent Coeurdoux (1691–1779) and the Making of an Anthropological Classic", Journal of Jesuit Studies, 6 (2019): 439–66.
DE SMET, Richard. Review of Sylvie Murr, Vol. 1: Mœurs et coutumes des Indiens (1777): Un inédit du père G.-L. Coeurdoux, S.J. dans la version de N.-J. Desvaulx. Vol. II: L’indologie du père Cœurdoux (Paris: Ecole française d’extrême-orient, 1987). Indian Theological Studies 27 (1990) 371–373.
FERROLI, Domenico. The Jesuits in Malabar. 2 vols. Bangalore, 1939/1951.
GODFREY, J.J. "Sir William Jones and Père Cœurdoux: a philological footnote." Journal of the American Oriental Society 87 (1967) 57–59.
MURR, Sylvie. L'Inde philosophique entre Bossuet et Voltaire – I. Moeurs et coutumes des Indiens (1777). Un inedit du père G.-L. Cœurdoux, S.J. dans la version de N.-J. Desvaulx. Vol. 1. Ed. Sylvie Murr. Paris: Ecole française d'extrême-orient, 1987. 247 pp.
MURR, Sylvie. L'Inde philosophique entre Bossuet et Voltaire – II. L'indologie du père Cœurdoux. Stratégie, apologétique et scientificité. Vol. 2. Ed. Sylvie Murr. Paris: Ecole française d'extrême-orient, 1987. 250 pp. ISBN2-85539-746-4
gaston, laurent, coeurdoux, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Gaston Laurent Coeurdoux news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Gaston Laurent Coeurdoux k ʊer ˈ d uː French Cœurdoux kœʁdu 18 December 1691 Bourges France 15 June 1779 Pondicherry French India was a French Jesuit missionary in South India and a noteworthy Indologist Contents 1 Early training 2 Career as a missionary and religious superior 3 Contributions to Indology 4 Bibliography 5 References 6 Further reading 7 See alsoEarly training EditCœurdoux entered the novitiate of the Jesuits in 1715 was ordained in 1725 and made his final religious profession as a Jesuit in 1731 at Orleans Shortly afterwards he left for India arriving at the Madurai Mission now in Tamil Nadu in southern India in 1732 Career as a missionary and religious superior EditCœurdoux first studied Telugu a major language of the Dravidian group in order to work in the region of present Andhra Pradesh in particular Krishnapuram Bukkapuram and Darmavaram Madigubba 1736 to 1737 In 1737 for health reasons he had to return and remain in Pondicherry He was the superior of the mission at Karnataka from 1744 to 1751 while he was serving the 4 000 Catholic Tamils in Pondicherry As superior he was obliged against his own inclinations to enforce the very restrictive decree of Pope Benedict XIV 12 September 1744 on the Malabar rites Convinced of the importance of the contemplative life he brought together a number of Tamil girls and founded a Carmelite convent with them in 1748 Contributions to Indology EditCœurdoux is best known today as an Indologist Talented at languages he composed a Telugu French Sanskrit dictionary which is still authoritative A disciple of the Jesuit philologist Jean Calmette whom he knew personally in India he was particularly interested in comparative linguistics Max Muller called him the father of comparative philology He was in contact with the French Indologists Anquetil Duperron and Joseph Nicolas de l Isle In a Memoire sent to the Academie des inscriptions et belles lettres France in 1767 he demonstrated the similarity between the Sanskrit Latin Greek and even German and Russian His observations were later compiled and published by others in Europe He never returned to his homeland Anquetil Duperron published a whole chapter after the French Revolution 1 Abbe Dubois also used them passing them off to the British East India Company in Madras as his own work 1808 It was only in the late 20th century thanks to the work of J J Godfrey and Sylvia Murr see Bibliography that Cœurdoux s role in the discovery of the relationship between Sanskrit and the ancient languages of Europe had been re established 2 Bibliography EditMœurs et coutumes des Indiens Ed N J Desvaulx 1777 References Edit See Anquetil Duperron 1808 Supplement au Memoire qui precede Supplement to the preceding memoir Memoires de litterature tires des registres de l Academie royale des inscriptions et belles lettres Memoirs on literature drawn from the records of the Royal Academy of Inscriptions and Belle lettres 49 647 697 John J Godfrey 1967 Sir William Jones and Pere Coeurdoux A philological footnote Journal of the American Oriental Society 87 1 57 59 Richard De Smet Review of Sylvie Murr Vol 1 Mœurs et coutumes des Indiens 1777 Un inedit du pere G L Cœurdoux S J dans la version de N J Desvaulx Vol II L indologie du pere Cœurdoux Paris Ecole francaise d extreme orient 1987 Indian Theological Studies 27 1990 371 373 Further reading EditArmenteros Carolina The Enlightened Conservatism of the Malabar Missions Gaston Laurent Coeurdoux 1691 1779 and the Making of an Anthropological Classic Journal of Jesuit Studies 6 2019 439 66 DE SMET Richard Review of Sylvie Murr Vol 1 Mœurs et coutumes des Indiens 1777 Un inedit du pere G L Coeurdoux S J dans la version de N J Desvaulx Vol II L indologie du pere Cœurdoux Paris Ecole francaise d extreme orient 1987 Indian Theological Studies 27 1990 371 373 FERROLI Domenico The Jesuits in Malabar 2 vols Bangalore 1939 1951 GODFREY J J Sir William Jones and Pere Cœurdoux a philological footnote Journal of the American Oriental Society 87 1967 57 59 MURR Sylvie L Inde philosophique entre Bossuet et Voltaire I Moeurs et coutumes des Indiens 1777 Un inedit du pere G L Cœurdoux S J dans la version de N J Desvaulx Vol 1 Ed Sylvie Murr Paris Ecole francaise d extreme orient 1987 247 pp MURR Sylvie L Inde philosophique entre Bossuet et Voltaire II L indologie du pere Cœurdoux Strategie apologetique et scientificite Vol 2 Ed Sylvie Murr Paris Ecole francaise d extreme orient 1987 250 pp ISBN 2 85539 746 4See also EditWilliam Jones philologist Portals Biography Catholicism France India Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gaston Laurent Coeurdoux amp oldid 1103074582, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
