1827 – 1894

William Dwight Whitney

American orientalist, linguist and lexicographer (1827–1894)

Indologistlinguistlexicographerphilologistuniversity teacher

Born

1827-02-09, Northampton

Died

1894-06-07

Birthplace state

Massachusetts

Biography

William Dwight Whitney was born in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1827 and died in 1894. He worked as a linguist, philologist, lexicographer, indologist, orientalist, translator, librarian, and writer. He served as the first president of the American Philological Association and as editor-in-chief of The Century Dictionary. His work encompassed Sanskrit grammar and Vedic philology, and he held the view that language functions as a social institution.

Occupation

William Dwight Whitney is recorded as a Indologist, a linguist, a lexicographer, a philologist, a university teacher, a orientalist, a translator, a librarian and a writer, born in Massachusetts (1827–1894).

Connections to Massachusetts

William Dwight Whitney was born in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1827. Explore other notable figures from Massachusetts, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from Massachusetts›Massachusettshistory ›Historic sites in Massachusetts›

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Conflict & War

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The Civil War

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The Soldiers

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Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

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The Community

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Rivers & Rail

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Notable People

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Historical Maps

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Finds & Access

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Literature

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Points of Interest

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More notable figures from Massachusetts

Other historical figures born in Massachusetts, ranked by historical prominence.

John F. Kennedy

president of the United States from 1961 to 1963 (1917–1963)

Edgar Allan Poe

American writer and literary critic (1809–1849)

Benjamin Franklin

American polymath and statesman (1706–1790)

George H. W. Bush

president of the United States from 1989 to 1993 (1924-2018)

John Adams

Founding Father, U.S. president from 1797 to 1801

John Quincy Adams

President of the United States from 1825 to 1829

Ralph Waldo Emerson

American philosopher (1803–1882)

Frequently asked about William Dwight Whitney

Who was William Dwight Whitney?

William Dwight Whitney was American orientalist, linguist and lexicographer (1827–1894), born in Massachusetts (1827 – 1894).

When and where was William Dwight Whitney born?

William Dwight Whitney was born on 1827-02-09 in Northampton.

When did William Dwight Whitney die?

William died on 1894-06-07.

What was William Dwight Whitney known for?

William Dwight Whitney is recorded as a Indologist, a linguist, a lexicographer, a philologist, a university teacher, a orientalist, a translator, a librarian and a writer.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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