The History of the Romanian Language by Alexandru Philippide

No book with the title Istoria limbii române [The History of the Romanian Language] has so far been recognized as part of Alexandru Philippide’s work, although the linguist actually wrote such a study, that had been announced in 1894 (Primul volum. Principii de istoria limbii [First Volume. Principles of a History of the Language]). A series of conferences that were carried out under the same title, i.e. Istoria limbii române (The History of the Romanian Language), took place at the University of Iaşi between 1894 and 1933; the works presented at these conferences were edited in a volume having the same title (with more than 600 pages) by G. Ivănescu, A. Philippide’s most faithful disciple, and also by Carmen-Gabriela Pamfil and Luminiţa Botoşineanu (the book is presently being prepared for publishing, at the Polirom publishing house). The series of conferences includes four academic courses: Originile poporului şi ale limbii române [The Origins of the Romanian People and of the Romanian Language], Latina populară [The Vulgar Latin], Istoria sunetelor româneşti [The History of the Romanian Sounds] and Istoria formelor româneşti [The History of the Romanian Forms]. Their content were the starting point for the two volumes of the book Originea românilor [The Origin of the Romanians]. Nevertheless, Istoria limbii române [The History of the Romanian Language] is a work which has its own identity. Given the didactic necessities, the linguistic material is presented here in a more synthetic manner than in Originea românilor [The Origin of the Romanians], the explanations and the commentaries being as reduced as possible; the style is fluent, enthusiastic and attractive. This is why we believe that the book Istoria limbii române [The History of the Romanian Language] by A. Philippide – the most complete historical grammar for the Romanian language, updated through notes by G. Ivănescu, the author of the most recent and complete History of the Romanian Language – will be very useful to the specialists interested in this field.