Dmitry Nikolaevich Ushakov is a famous linguist and publicist. He became the compiler and editor of the Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language in four volumes. The outstanding scientist was the first to study orthoepy, the science of pronunciation. He was a Knight of the Orders of St. Stanislav, St. Anne. He was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor.
Dmitry Nikolaevich Ushakov is an outstanding lexicographer. He compiled explanatory and spelling dictionaries in several volumes.
Time of childhood and adolescence
The talented scientist was born on January 24, 1873 in Moscow. His father was a famous metropolitan ophthalmologist. He passed away when the child was two years old.
The child was raised in the house of the mother's father, the grandfather of the future linguist. The grandfather himself was the protopresbyter in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Dmitry received his primary education at home. In 1882, a nine-year-old boy entered the capital's gymnasium.
After six years of study in 1889, the future scientist moved to another educational institution. Two years later, the graduate became a student of the Faculty of History and Philology of the University. His teacher was Philip Filippovich Fortunatov, known as a specialist in the field of Russian linguistics.
It was under his supervision that the student wrote his master's essay on declensions in Homer. After receiving his education, the graduate began working at the school as a teacher of the Russian language and literature. He worked in this position for seventeen years.
In 1903 Dmitry Ushakov was awarded the Order of St. Stanislav III degree. Seven years later, he became a recipient of the second degree of this award. In 1906 he was awarded the Order of St. Anne, III degree. From 1907 he combined work with teaching at Moscow State University.
With his book "Russian Spelling", published in 1911, convincing arguments are given in favor of the beginning of the transformation of Russian spelling. University activity took over twenty-eight years. Dmitry Nikolaevich has grown from a privat-docent to a professor.
Working by vocation
Noticeable social changes in the country have had a significant impact on the native language. His vocabulary has changed. Since 1918, a well-known linguist began the development of spelling reform. Since the late thirties, Ushakov became the head of the Slavic department of the Institute of Writing and Languages of the Peoples of the USSR.
Throughout his pedagogical and scientific activities, the scientist gave lectures in various educational institutions. Their reading was heard by students of higher pedagogical courses, the military pedagogical school, and the literary Bryusov Institute.
An outstanding linguist became the developer and compiler of the first Russian textbook of linguistics. It was reprinted nine times. Ushakov is known as a compiler of an explanatory dictionary. The book was published in the mid-thirties.
Talented scientists Ozhegov, Vinogradov, Tomashevsky have been working in the team of authors under the leadership of Dmitry Nikolaevich since the twenties. In total, the publication has more than ninety thousand description articles. Ushakov's contribution to both dialectology and spelling is great.
He actively promoted the reform of Russian spelling, with the advent of the last century published the collection "Russian spelling". The reform of the native language began in 1918 under the patronage of the Academy of Sciences, but as early as 1915 in this organization, Dmitry Nikolaevich created and headed a dialectological commission.
Its main goal was to create a map of the dialects common in the European part of the country. The studies reflected the dialects of all peoples living there. In 1921, Ushakov became a member of the commission, which was engaged before the conclusion of the Polish-Soviet treaty, preparing documentation for negotiations with Poland on the delimitation between states of the commission.
To accomplish this task, it was planned to record data on the ethnic and linguistic affiliation of the population of the border regions.
Significant works
The scientist has developed and implemented a multidimensional and weighty litter system in terms of stylistics. His authorship belongs to the now widespread "colloquial", "official." etc. Alexander Reformatsky, a colleague of the researcher, recalled that Dmitry Nikolayevich greatly appreciated live communication with people.
He interacted with students, teachers, doctors, actors. The famous linguist taught his colleagues not to isolate themselves from the everyday life around them, but to engage in educational activities.
In early 1936, Dmitry Nikolaevich received his doctorate in linguistic sciences. Three years later, he became a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
A recognized expert in the correctness of pronunciation, Ushakov has consulted the country's Radio Committee for many years. Even the most famous actors Vasily Kachalov and Evdokia Turchaninova turned to the famous scientist for advice.
Awards and family
Dmitry Nikolaevich became famous as an excellent connoisseur of shtetl dialects. According to the recollections of one of his students, who also became a famous researcher, by the dialect of a first-year student, he could accurately determine where he came to the capital from. In 1940, the outstanding scientist was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor. With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the outstanding figure was evacuated to Uzbekistan.
The personal life of the scientist also took place. Alexandra Misyura became his wife. Ushakov's chosen one was the granddaughter of the famous publicist, editor of Moskovskiye Vedomosti, Valentin Korsh. Three daughters, Vera, Natalya and Nina, grew up in the family. The youngest child was the son Vladimir. The famous scientist became a true example of the love of his native language and hard work.
Even being in evacuation, he did not stop working. Just a year before his death, the scientist began to study the Uzbek language. He managed to compile a compact and very convenient Russian-Uzbek phrasebook. On April 17, 1942, Dmitry Nikolaevich died in Tashkent.
