The Linguist’s Calendar: July 18

Nikolay Yadrincev

July 18 

1889: On a field trip to Mongolia, Nikolay Yadrincev discovers rock carvings which later prove to be an 8th century Turkic language. The discovery of so-called Orkhon inscriptions mark the start of scientific comparative Turcology.

1906: American linguist and politician Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa is born.
 
1966: Belgium passes a law on the use of languages in national administration.
 
1982: Russian-American linguist Roman Jakobson dies in Boston.