Roman Jakobson, 6
AIR MAIL
2nd January, 1>46.
Professor dr. Roman Jakobson, Columbia University, 3Dopt. of Comparative Linguistics, jJew iTork 27, H.Y. Dear Roman, Thank you for you letter of 15 Decbr,, which reached me on Rew Year’s Eve. The fact is tnat your first letter did reach me all right, and that 1 wrote an air mail letter to you on Septem- ber 26. 1 am sorry to learn that the letter has been lost. I shall soon be sending you the publications 1 have reserved for you; my cnief publications during the war period have been a paper 'Langue et parole* m the Cahiers Saussure II, and a I&nish version of my Prolegomena to Glossematics (title: ’Omkring sprog- teoriens grundlæggelse1, in Pestskrift of our University Rovbr. 45); a Preneh version is forthcoming, Uldall and his wife were here In September and October; they have spent roost of their time in Baghdad during the war. They are in London by now, and they are probably leaving in a fortnight for Buenos Aires, where (Jldall is taking over a job for the British Qoujipil^or some years. I am not very fond of this new separation/'æÆS' v*a£i-iitatour oolhar borntion. We had not very much time left in Copenhagen to compare notes, but fortunately we found that we had been working on the same lines, so that our common work can go on regularly, although with a very considerable delay. We hope the *Outiine of Glossoma- tics’ can be published in the year to come. The tlldall's asked me to give their love to you both, which 1 actually did in ray last letter, whicn was written during their stay here (by the way, I am going to ask Uldall if that letter of mine to you is still in his pocket; ha might have promised to post it for me, and he was ex- tremely busy alljthe time seeing his family and digging cut things he had left here in a great njtrry in various places at the outbreak of the war). I have given notice about your first letter in a meeting of our Linguistic Circle, and I can give you the greetings of several of cur members. We have been glad to be informed about your Lin- guistie Circle and about ’Word’. We are very grateful for the in- vitation to collaborate, and we shall certainly not fail to do so. As.-for me, I do not know when I can send you anything of the kind, I have been extremely busy this autumn. Saareste from nsthonia is working in Copeuiliagen for some time and has been living wi uh us, anci of course Ulclall’s visit meant that I had to put off many of m.v d&tflies; furthermore X have been a member of tne jury lor the
wofiovi+ ohnir* nf Rnmnnea lana'ua/ces and litteratures, wtiich meant a
2if there is any need for a survey of Danish Linguistic Life in your periodical. My next papers have been promised for the next volume of the 1 Travaux» of our Cirkle; "but I shall certainly not forget to send you a paper for ’Word’ as sson as X can, though 1 cannot tell when that may be; I have so much worx to do that 1 cannot give any further promises. 1 have had letters from Sommerfelt and Vendryes, among o- thers. I have no direct news yet from Czechoslovakia butI have been informed that Hrozn^ and Trnka are all right. So is Yocadlo, although he has been in two German concentration camps; he has paid a visit to London, end is now in Mathesius*s chair. This involves, as far as I have understood, that Mathesius is still alive but has retired. Havnlnek has been in London too. Mrs. Martinet is here in Copenhagen with her eldest daughter. You know perhaps that Martinet was a prisoner of war in Germany; he is in Paris now and has taken up his activities (and published a book »La prononciation du fran^e.is actuel’, based on materials collected in the prison camp ); his nerves seem to have suffered a good deal, Senveniste is in Paris too; he aføWwas first in a camp in Northern Prance, but escaped to Lyon and from there to Switzerland; during the camp period 1 had some letters from him that were rather depressed; 1 have not heard from him since. Vendryes has been in prison twice but is all right. Marcel Cohen has been under ground and is all right, and seems to have taken an active part in the resistance movement, Maspero died in Bu- chenwalde. You may have been informed that van Ginneken died recently; 1 do not know any details about him. Most of this in- formation may have reached you in the mean time, but I thought I had better tell you what 1 know. There are no news about Kury- 1'owiez whatsoever; I still hope that he has not disappeared. I am very much looking forward to hearing from you again, and to seeing you some time in the future. What about your going to Norway, as Sommerfelt suggests in a letter to me? It would be nice to have you back in Scandinavia. Thank you so much for remembering our family. They all ask me to give you both their love. Best* wishes, and a very happy New Year from both of us. Yours ever, Kelge Poulsens address seems to be 62 Hjallesevej, Odense. 1 have heard nothing of him during the last five years, so 1 am sorry X cannot give you any details. - Holger Pedersen is all right; he has just now published a book »Lyxisch und Hittitisch*, in the »Meddelelser1 of-our Academy. He is almost 79 by now, but he is still at work, and his health is good.