Johannes Goropius Becanus

Johannes Goropius Becanus

Johannes Goropius Becanus (23 June 1519 – 28 June 1572) was a Dutch physician, linguist, and humanist. He is primarily known for his work in the fields of medicine and linguistics, particularly for his controversial theory that the Brabantic dialect of Dutch, spoken in the region of Antwerp, was the original language of mankind.

Biography

Johannes Goropius Becanus was born in Gorp, a hamlet in the municipality of Hilvarenbeek, in the Duchy of Brabant (now in the Netherlands). He studied medicine at the University of Louvain, where he later became a professor of medicine. Becanus was a physician to two sisters of Charles V, Mary of Hungary and Eleanor of Austria. He traveled extensively with them through Europe.

After retiring from his medical practice, Becanus devoted himself to linguistic and etymological studies. His most notable work, Hieroglyphica, argued that the Egyptian hieroglyphs were derivations of the Brabantic dialect of Dutch. He believed that this dialect was the Adamic language, the language spoken by Adam and Eve in Paradise.

Linguistic Theories

Becanus's linguistic theories were largely based on etymological comparisons. He argued that many words in different languages could be traced back to Dutch roots. For example, he claimed that the Latin word for god, "deus", was derived from the Dutch "dees" or "thees", meaning "the creator". His theories were met with skepticism and ridicule by many of his contemporaries, including the famous French essayist Michel de Montaigne, who mocked Becanus's claims in his essays.

Despite the criticism, Becanus's work was influential in the development of comparative linguistics and etymology. He was one of the first to propose that languages could evolve and change over time, a concept that would later be central to the field of historical linguistics.

Legacy

Johannes Goropius Becanus's theories on the origin of language were largely discredited by later scholars. However, his contributions to the fields of medicine and linguistics were significant. He was a pioneer in the study of comparative linguistics and played a role in the early development of etymology. His work is an early example of the humanist attempt to reconcile linguistic diversity with the biblical story of Babel.

Becanus's name is commemorated in the term "Goropian", referring to theories that claim improbable origins for languages or assert that one particular language is the origin of all others.

Selected Works

• Hieroglyphica (1567) – A work arguing that Egyptian hieroglyphs were derived from the Brabantic dialect of Dutch.

See Also

• History of linguistics
• Etymology
• Comparative linguistics