Famous Serbian language speakers (non-Serbs)

[Guapo]

- Friedrich Engels
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Jakob Grimm
- J. R. R. Tolkien
- Leo Tolstoy

J.R.R. Tolkien was also heavily influenced by Serbian epic poetry and mythology for his novels.

[Methmatician]

I can believe Tolstoy and Tolkien, but is there a source for the others?

[Guapo]

I can believe Tolstoy and Tolkien, but is there a source for the others?

In 1824 Jacob Grimm translated a Serbian grammar by his friend Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, writing an erudite introduction on Slavic languages and literature.

This was long before a Bosniak language or a Bosniak even existed.

[Methmatician]

In 1824 Jacob Grimm translated a Serbian grammar by his friend Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, writing an erudite introduction on Slavic languages and literature.

I forgot about that. He also took some Serbian folk tales and used them in his writings.

[rashka]

'' The wealth and the beauty of Serbian Folk-songs are such as to astonish Europe."

J. Grimm







Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm (also Karl;[a] 4 January 1785 – 20 September 1863) was a German philologist, jurist and mythologist. He is best known as the discoverer of Grimm's Law (linguistics), the author (with his brother) of the monumental Deutsches Wörterbuch, the author of Deutsche Mythologie and, more popularly, as one of the Brothers Grimm, as the editor of Grimm's Fairy Tales.

[rashka]

Here is one piece of Serbian poetry that was translated to English. Keep in mind this is 1800's English.

CEASE THY WARBLINGS, NIGHTINGALE !

O nightingale ! thy warbllngs cease.
And let my master sleep in peace :
'Twas I who luird him to repose,
And I will wake him from his rest ;
ril seek the sweetest flower that grows,
And bear it to his presence blest;
And gently touch his cheeks, and say,
" Awake, my master ! for 'tis day.''

[rashka]

" Since the days of Homer's poems," so Jakob
Grimm believes, " there has not been in Europe a
phenomenon that, like the Serbian Folk-songs, can
instruct us about the essence and origin of epic
poetry." Various causes co-operated to keep the
spirit of popular poetry longer alive amongst the
Serbians than in any other nation. There was the
geographical isolation of the mountain-folk; the
tenacity of their habits and customs, and their in-
tolerance towards any interference or change; the
obstinacy with which they clung to their language
and religion ; and, last but not least, the undoubted
fact that the Turkish conqueror did not trouble
himself very much about such matters as long as the
taxes were paid.


From: Serbian Folk Songs, Fairy Tales and Proverbs
BY MAXIMILIAN A. MUGGE
Author of " Friedrlch Nietzsche : His Life and Work;"
Eugenics and the Superman;" '' Heinrich von Treitschke,"

[Methmatician]

I think we've established that Jakob Grimm could read Serbian.

[rashka]

In 1824, he (Vuk Karadzic) sent a copy of his folksong collection to Jacob Grimm, who was enthralled particularly by "The Walled-Up Wife". Grimm translated it into German and the song was noted and admired for many generations to come.

[Guapo]

Serbian is a language of rich national history, folklore traditions and epic poetry, which inspired Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, JRR Tolkein and the Brothers Grimm to learn the language.