РАЗДЕЛ 3. РАБОТЫ СТУДЕНТОВ И АСПИРАНТОВ, ВЫПОЛНЕННЫЕ ПОД РУКОВОДСТВОМ ИЛИ В СОАВТОРСТВЕ С ПРЕПОДАВАТЕЛЯМИ КАФЕДРЫ

Булкина Ю.В., Яковлева И.О. Mikhail Lomonosov: Mastering Foreign Languages in the Course of Early Linguistic Studies∗

All great people were once at the beginning of their creative development. It is discovering one’s abilities and developing them that is the most important thing in these years. Being a prodigy in his young days, Mikhail Lomonosov at the same time demonstrated great persistence for acquiring mastery of a lot of sciences, languages, and arts. A prominent 19th century historian Peter Pekarsky found the documentary evidence supporting the fact that Lomonosov was a brilliant polyglot. Doing his research in the archives of St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences Pekarsky came across Lomonosov’s handwriting providing an extensive list of languages he evidently knew and foreign books he had read or was supposedly going to read. Points on the list are French, English, German, Italian, Polish, Hungarian, Jewish, Greek, and Russian; other languages mentioned are Portuguese, Spanish, Irish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Czech, Bulgarian, Moldavian, Finnish, Lithuanian, Estonian, Romanian, Turkish, Tatar, Serbian, and so on – these are the ones, which he could read and speak either fluently, or tolerably. [Пекарский, 1873. С. 950]. These days studying foreign languages is known to be crucial for multicultural communication on both professional and scientific basis as well as for personal development since it provides the ability to interact with peoples who speak these languages and to enjoy the world’s cultural and scientific heritage. It meant a lot in Lomonosov`s time, it still remains essential nowadays. Lomonosov himself had to realize it clearly therefore he was mastering languages throughout his life. Given times, the journey to Moscow for thorough education was a brave deed displaying all the power, might and depth of his personality and mind. But there was an obstacle in his path to science discipline mastery – Lomonosov didn’t speak Latin, which was an international language of science of that time. At twenty, Lomonosov began to study Latin at the biggest educational centre in Russia – “the Spasskie schools” (the Slavic

∗ текст публикуется в авторской редакции 98 Greek Latin Academy). A proud coast-dweller had to suffer many hardships in the first years of his studying. He lived from hand to mouth. To make things worse there was no dormitory by the Academy. However, tough living conditions didn’t turn him off science. Later he wrote: “Schoolboys, little children, shouted and pointed at a blockhead who came to learn Latin at the age of twenty” [Ломоносов, 1957, Т.10, С.479]. But through thick and thin, Lomonosov’s native wit, talent and diligence made it possible for him to achieve an outstanding fluency in Latin. He began to study with such frantic zeal that after the first half-year had passed, he was transferred from the lowest to the second form, and the same year – from the second to the third form. A year later he was so good at Latin that he could even make small verses. One day Mikhail Lomonosov composed a translation of a Latin moral parable: Стихи на туясок Услышали мухи Медовые духи, Прилетевши, сели, В радости запели, Егда стали ясти, Попали в напасти; Увязли бо ноги: Ах! – плачут убоги, Мёду полизали, А сами пропали. [Ломоносов, 1959, Т.8, С.7] The teacher wrote for it: pulchre (“excellent” in Latin). Lomonosov never confined himself to learning textbooks, he worked diligently with texts in the original, went deeply into grammatical rules, sought for more accurate words and expressions for transferring the meaning from one language to another. So, having coped brilliantly with Latin, he grew to realize the features and interdependence between Latin and bookish Slavonic language in all the variety of stylistic nuances. After mastering the basic course in Latin, Lomonosov began to study “poetical doctrine” of the language under his teacher Fyodor Kvetnitsky’s supervision. These lessons introduced the student to the poetical practice. Versification, composing speeches both in Latin and Slavonic were on the curriculum considered rather as a skill, and a sign of scientific accomplishment than a creative process. So, it was at that time when he wrote his first verses. The course in poetical doctrine was a preparation for mastering rhetoric. Naturally, Lomonosov took part in rhetorical public debates, at which homilies were delivered in Slavonic and Latin languages in the presence of other students. He was so

99 fascinated with the study of eloquence that he rewrote an extensive course of rhetoric, which contained a lot of theoretical and practical information. Later on working on his books “Rhetoric” and “Russian Grammar” he made good use of the skills acquired at “the Spasskie schools”. Learning poetic and rhetoric boosted the development of a would-be scientist’s interest in history and philology. It was his idea of oratory free from scholastic intricacies that Lomonosov based his scientific system on, the latter being described in his “Short Guide to Rhetoric for the Benefit of the Lovers of Eloquence” (“Краткое руководство к красноречию. Книга первая, в которой содержится риторика, показующая общие правила обоего красноречия, то есть оратории и поэзии, сочиненная в пользу любящих словесные науки”). “Rhetorical skill – which was the basis of Latin teaching in Russian schools – was mastered brilliantly by Lomonosov so the surviving example of his Latin speech is considered to be nearly as good as the best works of New Latin eloquence” [Боровский Я.М. 1960, Т.4, С.208]. Thus having mastered the Latin language, Lomonosov familiarized himself thoroughly with the best examples of Latin poetry and oratory including the works of Virgil, Ovid, Juvenal, Horatius, Plautus, and Terentius. At the same time he started learning Greek – which wasn’t taught at the Academy – on his own: using Latin dictionaries in his studies Lomonosov frequently came across Greek words and eventually took to Greek. His great interest in Hellenic wisdom closely connected with ancient Russian culture inspired him to learn the language with eagerness. Latin and Greek writers revealed the beauty of poetry to him, taught him to understand the nature, to communicate his ideas, and showed him the perfection of artistic word. At the end of 1735 the Senate ruled to send twenty students who were “skilled in sciences” (including Lomonosov) to St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. The living and studying conditions were no less difficult than those in Moscow and included modest accommodation and scant meal. For all that, curious and talented coast-dweller showed great interest in sciences from the first days of studying at the Academy, rushing to verify and extend fragmentary knowledge acquired in Moscow. Young Mikhail pounced on reading books and as students were not admitted to the academic library he might as well have taken the chance to enjoy free reading in the nearest book- shop. Not speaking German which was widely used at the Academy felt like an essential gap in his knowledge. That was the reason why his study started with everyday lessons in German. In March 1736 the Academy of Sciences decided to send twelve most gifted students including Lomonosov to study mining to Germany. Under the instruction they were to combine their study of metallurgy and chemistry with learning foreign languages “to speak and write in Russian, German, Latin and French fluently” [Ченакал В.Л., Андреева Г. А. , 100 Павлова Г. Е. , Соколова Н. В., 1961, С. 247]. Having arrived at the University of Marburg, Lomonosov and his peers turned to Christian Wolff, an eminent philosopher, mathematician, and outstanding teacher, with a letter of introduction from the president of St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences Johann Korff. The fact that Wolff gave his lectures in German (not in Latin) might have led Lomonosov to the idea that sciences in Russia should have been taught in the native language as well. Lomonosov began his studying in Marburg with the fundamentals of arithmetic, geometry and the German language. Soon after that he also started to take lessons in French. A year had hardly passed when Russian students made significant progress in a lot of sciences. A letter from Wolff to Korff (sent to St. Petersburg and dated September 4th 1737) is good evidence of the students’ accomplishments with Lomonosov’s fluency in German mentioned as one of the points. On the same day Lomonosov himself sent a letter in German to Korff thus confirming Wolff’s account. Starting with October 1738 young Mikhail began to study Italian on his own initiative. It was also in Germany where Lomonosov became proficient in English. Later on he even translated some of Anacreon`s verses from English into Russian. Unfortunately, there are no Lomonosov’s works in English or translations into English which have survived to the present day. Throughout his course Lomonosov efficiently combined the study of natural sciences with literary pursuits. In Marburg he got acquainted with then modern German literature, and read some works by German poetry theorist Johann Christoph Gottsched. He conducted a careful study of Gottshced`s book «A Detailed guide to oratory» based on the works of Greek and Latin authors and French theorists of eloquence of the 17th century. In addition, Lomonosov engaged with enthusiasm in translating verses, and continued his eloquence lessons. By the end of the second year of his stay in Marburg he had mastered the French language. To demonstrate the evidence of his success Lomonosov sent the translation of a popular ode by Fenelon to the Academy. This work exhibited a quality which later became very characteristic of him as a translator – accuracy of transferring the information, and preserving all the images and ideas of the original text. By the beginning of 1739 Lomonosov and his fellow-students had finished their studying in Marburg and according to Wolff «they had made such big progress in German that they understood everything and moreover were able to make themselves understood» [Ченакал В.Л., Андреева Г. А. , Павлова Г. Е. , Соколова Н. В., 1961, С. 279-280]. Soon the order was received from St. Petersburg for the students to get ready for the departure to the Saxon town of Freiberg to study metallurgy and mining. Soon after the arrival Lomonosov faced the necessity of learning 101 the Saxon dialect which differed significantly from that of Marburg. He wrote about it: «When I came from Hessen to Saxony I had to study German once again to understand what miners and steel founders were saying» [Ломоносов, 1954, Т.5, С.396]. Lomonosov had become so proficient in German that G.V.Fr. Junker, a member of St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, invited him to translate the materials on salt business from German into Russian. Thus five-year stay in Germany laid perfect groundwork for future scientific achievements of the outstanding scientist. Later on Mikhail Lomonosov preferred using Russian in his historical studies along with Latin for scientific debate within international scientific community as well as in correspondence with foreign scientists such as Euler, Formey, and others. It also deserves mentioning that he initiated the translation efforts at St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and throughout his life contributed greatly to the translation of scientific texts and literature. Lomonosov used mainly Latin in his research into chemistry, physics, astronomy, and mineralogy, at the same time translating a lot of his works into Russian, thus laying the base for Russian scientific terminology. It was through his work that such terms as “экспериментальная физика”, “диаметр”, “формула”, “микроскоп” and many others were introduced into Russian scientific vocabulary. The language of science in Russia gradually adopted the vocabulary of everyday use. As a consequence, the information about the scientific development became easily accessible to larger circles of Russian society. Through his studies Lomonosov had managed to refute the common belief that Latin was the only means of communicating scientific ideas. To crown it all, science in Russia began to develop in Russian. Illustrating his idea of Russian as an integral and rightful part of the world’s multicultural environment, Lomonosov once wrote1: «Карл Пятый, римский император, говаривал, что ишпанским языком с богом, французским – с друзьями, немецким – с неприятельми, италиянским – с женским полом говорить прилично. Но если бы он российскому языку был искусен, то, конечно, к тому присовокупил бы, что им со всеми оными говорить пристойно, ибо нашел бы в нем великолепие ишпанского, живость французского, крепость немецкого, нежность италиянского, сверх того богатство и сильную в изображениях краткость греческого и латинского языка2» [Ломоносов, 1950. с. 512].

1 The quotation is provided in Russian to preserve the original style of the scientist. 2 For a clear reason English isn’t on the list – though Lomonosov knew the language, it hadn’t yet won the status of lingua franca those days. The function was performed mainly by French and Latin along with German and Spanish serving as universal languages of diplomacy, education, and science. But times change, and nowadays English is sometimes called the Latin of our times. 102 It must have been the first time for Russian to be considered as a possible language of international communication. We dare say the quotation perfectly reflects the scientist’s worldview. Throughout his life Mikhail Lomonosov directed his linguistic abilities and skills at developing and promoting Russian science and culture. Being a polyglot meant pursuing the noble aim of contributing to the progress of his motherland. That’s the example to follow.

References

1. Боровский Я.М. Латинский язык Ломоносова. В кн.: Ломоносов: Сб.ст. и материалов. М.; Л., 1960.- Т.4, С.208 2. Ломоносов М.В. Избранные философские произведения. М.: Госполитиздат, 1950. С.512. 3. Ломоносов М.В. Полное собрание сочинений М.: Л., Изд-во АН СССР, 1950-1983, Т.5, С.396; Т.8, С.7, Т.10, С.479. 4. Лотман Ю . М . К вопросу о том, какими языками владел М. В. Ломоносов // XVIII век. – М.; Л., 1958. – Сб. 3 . – С.460 – 462. 5. Пекарский П.П. История Императорской Академии Наук в Петербурге. Т.2. – 1873. С.950. 6. Ченакал В.Л., Андреева Г. А., Павлова Г. Е., Соколова Н. В. Летопись жизни и творчества Ломоносова, М. Л.: Изд-во АН СССР, 1961, С.279- 280. 7. Фундаментальная электронная библиотека Русская литература и фольклор [электронный ресурс] // режим доступа: http://www.feb-web.ru/. 8. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [электронный ресурс] // режим доступа: http://en.wikipedia.org/

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