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Charles-Antoine Chancerel Manuscripts on Oidapa

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Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Chancerel, Charles-Antoine

Charles-Antoine Chancerel was a French civil engineer who invented an artificial language called Oidapa in the late 19th century.

This collection consists of four bound manuscripts documenting an artificial language called Oidapa (Oïdapa, Oīdapa) that was invented by French civil engineer Charles-Antoine Chancerel in the late 19th century. The manuscripts include a French-Oidapa dictionary containing a lexicon that spans over 300 pages, along with three grammar books describing Oidapa linguistics, characters, pronunciation, and grammar in French. The differences in the grammar books from 1888 and 1892 demonstrate how Chancerel's language grew more complex over time. Chancerel's introductory writings note that these texts are written to support students learning the language on their own without an instructor. They also describe Oidapa as both a cosmopolitan language ("langage cosmopolite") and an international language ("le sans nationalité"). This collection provides insight into a less well-known constructed language that emerged in Europe around the same time as popular international auxiliary languages such as L.L. Zamenhof's Esperanto and Johann Martin Schleyer's Volapük.

Arranged chronologically.

Purchased from Eric Grangeon Rare Books in 2019 (AM 2020-24).

This collection was processed by Kelly Bolding in October 2019. Finding aid written by Kelly Bolding in October 2019.

No materials were removed from the collection during 2019 processing.

Publisher
Manuscripts Division
Finding Aid Author
Kelly Bolding
Finding Aid Date
2019
Access Restrictions

Open for research.

Use Restrictions

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. No further photoduplication of copies of material in the collection can be made when Princeton University Library does not own the original. Inquiries regarding publishing material from the collection should be directed to RBSC Public Services staff through the Ask Us! form. The library has no information on the status of literary rights in the collection and researchers are responsible for determining any questions of copyright.

Collection Inventory

"Fe afrâse — oidapā (Grammaire française oïdapique)", 1888 September 15. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

83 pages.

Physical Description

1 folder

"Fe afrâse — oidapā (Grammaire française oïdapique)", 1888 September 15. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

79 pages.

Physical Description

1 folder

"Dictionnaire oīdap_français (Feg oīdap_afrâse)", circa 1890. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

310 pages.

Physical Description

1 folder

"Grammaire français_oīdapā (Fe afrâse_oīdapā)", 1892. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

85 pages.

Physical Description

1 folder

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