It is through Patience That You Attain Science”. Alexander Khristoforovich Vostokov and His Linguistic Pursuits (On the 245^th Anniversary of His Birth)

Alm. To analyse the epistolary and scientific heritage of A. Kh. Vostokov to receive his ideas in modern linguistic theory and practice, to identify the most valuable achievements of the scientist in comparative studies and lexicography, to determine the historical place of his personality in the formation of the national linguistic tradition.
Methodology. Biographical facts correlate with scientific ideas and discoveries. Based on rare documents, the philological searches of the scientist are described, which were in line with a new trend in linguistics – comparative studies. It talks about the differences between the Russian and Western European branches of comparative historical linguistics. The originality of A. Kh. Vostokov’s innovative work is noted. It is emphasized that despite the impossibility of teaching, the scientist has prepared several grammars focused on practical language learning. It is said that the linguist has a special interest in the problem of source studies. His contribution to lexicography is noted. The article analyses the forgotten works of A. Kh. Vostokov on Slavic studies. The research uses philological, comparative-historical, descriptive, lexicographic and linguo-personological methods.
Results. New sources are involved and the ideas of A. Kh. Vostokov on a wide range of philological problems are rethought. The main emphasis is placed on the need to study the archive of the scientist and his legacy in philological and cultural-historical relations. The study proves the relevance of A. Kh. Vostokov’s linguistic wealth in the modern linguistics.
Research implications. The material presented in the article clarifies the problems of comparative historical linguistics, focuses on the little-known theoretical approaches and achievements of A. Kh. Vostokov, which were later developed in linguistics of the 19th–20th centuries. In the context of practical application, the scientist’s developments in the field of lexicographic description of language and his interest in the study of written monuments are especially important. In this sense the ideas and methodological approaches of A. Kh. Vostokov can be used in linguistic source studies, paleoslavistics, vocabulary and archival practices.

1. Sreznevsky, V. I. (1901). Notes by A. Kh. Vostokov on His Life. St. Petersburg: Printing House of the Imperial Academy of Sciences (in Russ.).

2. Vostokov, A. Kh. (1865). Discussion on the Slavic Language, Serving as an Introduction to the Grammar of This Language, Compiled on the Basis of Its Most Ancient Written Monuments. In: Philological Observations of A. Kh. Vostokov. St. Petersburg: Printing House of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, pp. 1–27 (in Russ.).

3. Vostokov, A. Kh. (1842). Description of Russian and Slovenian Manuscripts in the Rumyantsev Museum, Compiled by A. Vostokov. St. Petersburg: Printing House of the Imperial Academy of Sciences (in Russ.).

4. Grech, N. I. (1864). In Memory of Alexander Khristoforovich Vostokov. St. Petersburg: Printing House of the Imperial Academy of Sciences (in Russ.).

5. Vostokov, A. Kh. (1859). Abridged Russian Grammar of Alexander Vostokov. St. Petersburg: Printing House of the Imperial Academy of Sciences (in Russ.).

6. Grech, N. I. (1834). Practical Russian Grammar, Published by Nikolai Grech. St. Petersburg: Printing House of the Publisher (in Russ.).

7. Vostokov, A. Kh. (1831). Russian Grammar of Alexander Vostokov, More Fully Presented According to the Outline of His Abridged Grammar. St. Petersburg: Printing House of I. Glazunov (in Russ.).

8. Vostokov, A. Kh. (1863). Grammar of the Church Slavonic Language, Based on Its Earliest Written Monuments. St. Petersburg: Printing House of the Imperial Academy of Sciences (in Russ.).

9. Zvegintsev, V. A. (2000). On the Scientific Heritage of Wilhelm von Humboldt. In: Humboldt, W. von. Selected Works on Linguistics. Moscow: Progress publ., pp. 356–362 (in Russ.).