- Francis March
Francis Andrew March (October 25, 1825 in
Sutton, Massachusetts –September 9, 1911 inEaston, Pennsylvania ) was an Americanpolymath , academic, philologist, and lexicographer. He graduated fromAmherst College in 1845. He is considered the principal founder of moderncomparative linguistics in Anglo-Saxon. March applied the methods of studying theLatin and Greek classics towards the study ofEnglish literature , and led the way for the first scientific study of theEnglish language .Born in
Sutton, Massachusetts , March occupied the chair ofEnglish language andcomparative philology atLafayette College (located inEaston, Pennsylvania ) from 1857 to 1907. It was the first post of its kind. March was one of the firstprofessor s to advocate and teach English in colleges and universities.Amongst other subjects taught
botany , French, German, Greek,Latin , "mental philosophy ",political economy , the Constitution, andlaw .He also served as president of the
American Philological Association (1873-1874; 1895-1896); the Spelling Reform Association (after 1876); and of theModern Language Association (1891-1893).Works
*In 1870, March published "A Comparative Grammar of the Anglo-Saxon Language" (reprinted, 1977). Based on ten years of intensive research, the work examines the relationship of Anglo-Saxon to
Sanskrit , Greek,Latin , and five Germanic languages.*March served as editor of the "Douglass Series of Christian Greek and Latin Writers", to which he contributed
Latin Hymns.*In 1881, he wrote "The Spelling Reform", a contribution to the reform of English
orthography .*With his son Francis Andrew March (1863–1928), he edited "A Thesaurus Dictionary of the English Language" (1903; 2nd ed., 1980).
*He was the first American superintendent over the volunteer reading programme of the "
Oxford English Dictionary ", thus providing valuable support to James Murray in the compilation of this monumental work.Death and Legacy
March was the father of General
Peyton Conway March , aid to Gen. MacArthur in the Spanish-American War and Army Chief of Staff from May 20, 1918-June 30, 1921.March died at Easton, Pennsylvania. A chaired professorship now exists at Lafayette College to honor his achievements in the field of English.
Francis A. March Elementary School, near the Lafayette Campus, is named in his honor.
ources
* [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9050795 Encyclopaedia Britannica: Francis March]
* [http://www.lafayette.edu/news.php/view/5784 Lafayette: Academic News]
*Simon Winchester , "The Meaning of Everything " (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003).
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.