Slavistics

From Free net encyclopedia

Slavistics or Slavic studies is the study of Slavic languages, literature and culture. A Slavist or Slavicist is a linguist or philologist who researches Slavistics, a Slavic (AmE) or Slavonic (BrE) scholar. The slavistics emerged in late 18th and early 19th century, simultaneously to the rise of national revival among various nations of Slavic origins and a attempts to establish a common sense of Slavic community, particularly popular among the Pan-Slavist movement. Among the first scientists to use the term was Josef Dobrovský.

The history of slavistics is generally divided onto three periods. Until 1876 the early slavists concentrated on documentation and printing of monuments of slavic languages, among them the first texts written in national languages. It was also then that the majority of Slavic languages received their first modern dictionaries, grammars and compendia. The second period, ending with World War I, was marked by fast development of Slavic philology and linguistics, most notably in the circle formed around August Schleicher and August Leskien at the University of Leipzig. After World War I slavic scholars focused on dialectology, while the science developed in countries with populations of Slavic origins. After the World War II centres of Slavic studies were also formed in various universities outside of such states.