Wilhelm Ludwig Geiger (/ˈɡaɪɡər/; German:[ˈɡaɪɡɐ]; 21 July 1856 – 2 September 1943) was a German Orientalist in the fields of Indo-Iranian languages and the history of Iran and Sri Lanka. He was known as a specialist in Pali, Sinhala language and the Dhivehi language of the Maldives. He is especially known for his work on the Sri Lankan chronicles Mahāvaṃsa and Cūlavaṃsa and made critical editions of the Pali text and English translations with the help of assistant translators.
He was born in Nuremberg, the son of an evangelical clergyman, and was educated especially at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg under the scholar Friedrich von Spiegel.[1] During his studies, he joined the fraternity Uttenruthia. After completing his Ph.D. thesis in 1878, he became a lecturer on ancient Iranian and Indian philology and then a master at a gymnasium. In 1891 he was offered a chair in Indo-European Comparative Philology at the University of Erlangen, succeeding Spiegel. His first published works were on ancient Iranian history, archaeology and philology.
He travelled to Ceylon in 1895 to study the language.[2][3]
The Age of the Avesta and Zoroaster, co-authored with Friedrich Spiegel, translated into English by Dārāb Dastur Peshotan Sanjānā, London 1886 (Google-US)
Civilization of the eastern Iranians in ancient times, with an introduction on the Avesta religion, translated into English by Darab Dastur Peshotan Sanjana, London 1885–1886.
Zarathushtra in the Gathas, and in the Greek and Roman classics, co-authored with Friedrich Heinrich Hugo Windischmann; translated into English by Dārāb Dastur Peshotan Sanjānā, Leipzig 1897.
The Dīpavaṃsa and Mahāvaṃsa and their historical development in Ceylon, translated into English by Ethel M. Coomaraswamy, Colombo 1908 (Google-US)
The Mahavāmsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon, English translation assisted by Mabel Haynes Bode, Pali Text Society, London 1912 (Internet Archive)
Maldivian Linguistic Studies, Colombo 1919.
The Language of the Väddās, Calcutta 1935.
A Grammar of the Sinhala language, Colombo 1938.
Pali Literature and Language, translated by Batakrishna Ghosh from the German original, Calcutta 1943. Revised by K. R. Norman under the title A Pali Grammar, Oxford 1994.
Cūlavamsa : being the more recent part of the Mahāvamsa, English translation assisted by Christian Mabel Duff Rickmers, Colombo 1953.
Culture of Ceylon in mediaeval times, edited by Heinz Bechert, Wiesbaden 1960.
German worksedit
Das Yātkār-i Zarirān und sein Verhältnis zum Šāh-nāme [The Yātkār-i Zarirān and its Relation to the Šāhnāme]. von W. Geiger. München: Druck der Akademischen Buchdrukerei von F. Straub. 1890
Die Pehleviversion des Ersten Capitels des Vendîdâd herausgegeben nebst dem Versuch einer ersten Uebersetzung und Erklärung. Erlangen, 1877 (Google)
Handbuch der Awestasprache. Grammatik, Chrestomathie und Glossar. Erlangen, 1879 (Google-US)
Etymologie des Balūčī. Aus den Abhandlungen der k. bayer. Akademie der Wiss. I. Cl. XIX. Bd. I. Abth. München, 1890 (Google-US)
Etymologie des Singhalesischen. Aus den Abhandlungen der k. bayer. Akademie der Wiss. I. Cl. XXI. Bd. II. Abth. München, 1897 (Google-US)
Ceylon. Tagebuchblätter und Reiseerinnerungen. Wiesbaden, 1898 (Google-US)
Wilhelm Geiger & Ernst Kuhn (Hrsg.): Grundriß der iranischen Philologie. 1. Bd., 1. Abt., Straßburg 1895–1901 (Google-US, Google-US); Anhang zum 1. Bd., Straßburg, 1903 (Google-US); II. Bd., Straßburg, 1896–1904 ([2], Google-US)
Litteratur und Sprache der Singhalesen. Straßburg, 1900 (Google-US)
Dīpavamsa und Mahāvamsa, die beiden Chroniken der Insel Ceylon. Sonderabdruck aus der Festschrift der Universität Erlangen zur Feier des achtzigsten Geburtstages Sr. königlichen Hoheit des Prinzregenten Luitpold von Bayern. Erlangen & Leipzig, 1901 (Google-US)
Dīpavaṃsa und Mahāvaṃsa und die geschichtliche Überlieferung in Ceylon, Leipzig, 1905 (Google-US)
Wilhelm Geiger & Magdalene Geiger: Pāli Dhamma vornehmlich in der kanonischen Literatur, München, 1920.
Wilhelm Geiger: Elementarbuch des Sanskrit, de Gruyter, Berlin und Leipzig, 1923.
Wilhelm Geiger: Besprechung zu Heinrich Junker, Arische Forschungen, um 1930.
Wilhelm Geiger: Singhalesische Etymologien. Stephen Austin and Sons, 1936.
Wilhelm Geiger: Beiträge zur singhalesischen Sprachgeschichte, Bayerischen Akad. der Wiss., München 1942.
Wilhelm Geiger: Kleine Schriften zur Indologie und Buddhismuskunde, hrsg. von Heinz Bechert. Steiner, Wiesbaden 1973.
Wilhelm Geiger: Die Reden des Buddha: Gruppierte Sammlung, Saṃyutta-nikāya, translation of Saṃyutta-nikāya, Beyerlein-Steinschulte, Stammbach, 1997.
^Alfred Jeyaratnam Wilson (1988), The Break-up of Sri Lanka: the Sinhalese-Tamil conflict, p. 29; [1]
^He appeared on a stamp in Sri Lanka, in 1989 (see Goethe-Institut Sri Lanka).
Further readingedit
Bechert, Heinz (1977). Wilhelm Geiger: His Life and Works. Colombo.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Heinz Bechert (1964), "Geiger, Wilhelm", Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 6, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 142–143; (full text online)
Sudanthaka P. Wijethunga,"Geiger Dutu Lankawa" (2003) ISBN9559844806 Sinhalese translation of "Ceylon Tagebuchblaetter und Reiseerinnerungen" (1898)
External linksedit
Original English translation of the Mahawamsa, with Geiger's introduction and notes
January 19, 2024
wilhelm, geiger, wilhelm, ludwig, geiger, german, ˈɡaɪɡɐ, july, 1856, september, 1943, german, orientalist, fields, indo, iranian, languages, history, iran, lanka, known, specialist, pali, sinhala, language, dhivehi, language, maldives, especially, known, work. Wilhelm Ludwig Geiger ˈ ɡ aɪ ɡ er German ˈɡaɪɡɐ 21 July 1856 2 September 1943 was a German Orientalist in the fields of Indo Iranian languages and the history of Iran and Sri Lanka He was known as a specialist in Pali Sinhala language and the Dhivehi language of the Maldives He is especially known for his work on the Sri Lankan chronicles Mahavaṃsa and Culavaṃsa and made critical editions of the Pali text and English translations with the help of assistant translators Wilhelm Geiger Contents 1 Life 2 Works 2 1 English works and translations 2 2 German works 3 Notes 4 Further reading 5 External linksLife editHe was born in Nuremberg the son of an evangelical clergyman and was educated especially at the University of Erlangen Nuremberg under the scholar Friedrich von Spiegel 1 During his studies he joined the fraternity Uttenruthia After completing his Ph D thesis in 1878 he became a lecturer on ancient Iranian and Indian philology and then a master at a gymnasium In 1891 he was offered a chair in Indo European Comparative Philology at the University of Erlangen succeeding Spiegel His first published works were on ancient Iranian history archaeology and philology He travelled to Ceylon in 1895 to study the language 2 3 He died in Neubiberg Among his children were included the physicist Hans Geiger inventor of the Geiger counter and the meteorologist Rudolf Geiger Works editEnglish works and translations edit The Age of the Avesta and Zoroaster co authored with Friedrich Spiegel translated into English by Darab Dastur Peshotan Sanjana London 1886 Google US Civilization of the eastern Iranians in ancient times with an introduction on the Avesta religion translated into English by Darab Dastur Peshotan Sanjana London 1885 1886 Zarathushtra in the Gathas and in the Greek and Roman classics co authored with Friedrich Heinrich Hugo Windischmann translated into English by Darab Dastur Peshotan Sanjana Leipzig 1897 The Dipavaṃsa and Mahavaṃsa and their historical development in Ceylon translated into English by Ethel M Coomaraswamy Colombo 1908 Google US The Mahavamsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon English translation assisted by Mabel Haynes Bode Pali Text Society London 1912 Internet Archive Maldivian Linguistic Studies Colombo 1919 The Language of the Vaddas Calcutta 1935 A Grammar of the Sinhala language Colombo 1938 Pali Literature and Language translated by Batakrishna Ghosh from the German original Calcutta 1943 Revised by K R Norman under the title A Pali Grammar Oxford 1994 Culavamsa being the more recent part of the Mahavamsa English translation assisted by Christian Mabel Duff Rickmers Colombo 1953 Culture of Ceylon in mediaeval times edited by Heinz Bechert Wiesbaden 1960 German works edit Das Yatkar i Zariran und sein Verhaltnis zum Sah name The Yatkar i Zariran and its Relation to the Sahname von W Geiger Munchen Druck der Akademischen Buchdrukerei von F Straub 1890 Die Pehleviversion des Ersten Capitels des Vendidad herausgegeben nebst dem Versuch einer ersten Uebersetzung und Erklarung Erlangen 1877 Google Handbuch der Awestasprache Grammatik Chrestomathie und Glossar Erlangen 1879 Google US Etymologie des Baluci Aus den Abhandlungen der k bayer Akademie der Wiss I Cl XIX Bd I Abth Munchen 1890 Google US Etymologie des Singhalesischen Aus den Abhandlungen der k bayer Akademie der Wiss I Cl XXI Bd II Abth Munchen 1897 Google US Ceylon Tagebuchblatter und Reiseerinnerungen Wiesbaden 1898 Google US Wilhelm Geiger amp Ernst Kuhn Hrsg Grundriss der iranischen Philologie 1 Bd 1 Abt Strassburg 1895 1901 Google US Google US Anhang zum 1 Bd Strassburg 1903 Google US II Bd Strassburg 1896 1904 2 Google US Litteratur und Sprache der Singhalesen Strassburg 1900 Google US Dipavamsa und Mahavamsa die beiden Chroniken der Insel Ceylon Sonderabdruck aus der Festschrift der Universitat Erlangen zur Feier des achtzigsten Geburtstages Sr koniglichen Hoheit des Prinzregenten Luitpold von Bayern Erlangen amp Leipzig 1901 Google US Dipavaṃsa und Mahavaṃsa und die geschichtliche Uberlieferung in Ceylon Leipzig 1905 Google US Wilhelm Geiger amp Magdalene Geiger Pali Dhamma vornehmlich in der kanonischen Literatur Munchen 1920 Wilhelm Geiger Elementarbuch des Sanskrit de Gruyter Berlin und Leipzig 1923 Wilhelm Geiger Besprechung zu Heinrich Junker Arische Forschungen um 1930 Wilhelm Geiger Singhalesische Etymologien Stephen Austin and Sons 1936 Wilhelm Geiger Beitrage zur singhalesischen Sprachgeschichte Bayerischen Akad der Wiss Munchen 1942 Wilhelm Geiger Kleine Schriften zur Indologie und Buddhismuskunde hrsg von Heinz Bechert Steiner Wiesbaden 1973 Wilhelm Geiger Die Reden des Buddha Gruppierte Sammlung Saṃyutta nikaya translation of Saṃyutta nikaya Beyerlein Steinschulte Stammbach 1997 Notes edit Gilman D C Peck H T Colby F M eds 1905 Geiger Wilhelm New International Encyclopedia 1st ed New York Dodd Mead Alfred Jeyaratnam Wilson 1988 The Break up of Sri Lanka the Sinhalese Tamil conflict p 29 1 He appeared on a stamp in Sri Lanka in 1989 see Goethe Institut Sri Lanka Further reading editBechert Heinz 1977 Wilhelm Geiger His Life and Works Colombo a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Heinz Bechert 1964 Geiger Wilhelm Neue Deutsche Biographie in German vol 6 Berlin Duncker amp Humblot pp 142 143 full text online Sudanthaka P Wijethunga Geiger Dutu Lankawa 2003 ISBN 9559844806 Sinhalese translation of Ceylon Tagebuchblaetter und Reiseerinnerungen 1898 External links editOriginal English translation of the Mahawamsa with Geiger s introduction and notes Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wilhelm Geiger amp oldid 1144556377, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
