| Date Range | 28 March 1902 - 10 August 1986 |
| Details Arthur Capell was born in Sydney on 28 March 1902 and attended North Sydney Boys High School before entering the University of Sydney in 1919 and graduating in 1922. He subsequently taught at several boys' school in the Sydney area and helped prepare some Latin and Greek primers. He was ordained in the Anglican Church in 1925 and remained for much of his life a devout parish priest while finding time for teaching and linguistic scholarship. He was a prolific publisher in both the clerical and linguistic fields. Capell's linguistic influences came from a number of sources. One of earliest being the English schoolmaster and linguist Sydney Ray, with whom he worked in the 1920s. He was also influenced by the work on Melanesian languages of R.H. Codrington and the work on Oceania of Renward Brandsetter and Otto Dempwolf. As Peter Newton has noted: 'Their pioneering works inspired Capell to formulate his own theories on the genetic relationships between regional languages, the affinity between language and population movements, and suitable methods of modelling earlier language forms.' |
| Chronology | | 1922 | Graduated from the University of Sydney with first class honours and the University Medal in Classics | | 1925 | Ordained into the Anglican ministry | | 1931 | Awarded Master of Arts in Classics at the University of Sydney | | 1932 | Appointed Professor A. P. Elkin's curate at St John's Theological College, in the parish of Morpeth | | 1935 | Commenced studies at the School of African and Oriental Studies, University of London, under R.O. Winstedt. | | 1937 | Awarded PhD at the University of London on the linguistic history of south-eastern Papua | | 1938 | Dispatched to the Kimberleys by Professor A. P. Elkin to study Australian Aboriginal languages, working with Howard Coate, a local medical worker | | 1943 | Published: Capell, A., The Linguistic Position of South-eastern Papua, Australasian Medical Publishing Company, Sydney | | 1945 | Appointed to a newly created lecturer position at the University of Sydney | | 1949 - 1962 | Reader in Oceanic Studies at the University of Sydney | | 1956 | Published: A. Capell, A New Approach to Australian Linguistics, Sydney, University of Sydney for Oceania | | 1958 | Published: A. Capell, The Culture and Language of Futuna and Aniwa, New Hebrides, Sydney, University of Sydney | | 1961 | Attended Canberra conference to discuss the future of Aboriginal Studies; was a foundation member of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies | | 1962 | Published: A. Capell, A Linguistic Survey of the South-Western Pacific., Nouma, New Caledonia, South Pacific Commission | | 1962 | Published: A. Capell, The Polynesian Language of Mae (Emwae), New Hebrides, Auckland, The Linguistic Society of New Zealand | | 1962 | Published: A. Capell, Some Linguistic Types in Australia: (Handbook of Australian Languages, Part 2), Sydney, University of Sydney | | 1962 | Retired from the University of Sydney | | 1968 | Published: A. Capell, G. J. Parker and A.J. Schtz, Papers in Linguistics of Melanesia, Canberra, Linguistic Circle of Canberra | | 1968 | Published: A. Capell [ed W. F. Ellis], What do we know of Tasmanian Language?, Launceston, Tasmania, Museum Committee, Launceston City Council | | 1969 | Published: A. Capell, A Survey of New Guinea Languages, Sydney, Sydney University Press | | 1969 | Published: A. Capell, Grammar and Vocabulary of the Language of Sonsorol - Tobi, Sydney, University of Sydney | | 1969 | Published: A. Capell, Ann Chowning and S. A. Wurm, Papers in Linguistics of Melanesia. No. 2, Canberra, Australian National University | | 1969 | Published: A. Capell [et al], Papers in New Guinea Linguistics. No.9, Canberra, Australian National University | | 1970 | S. A. Wurm and D. C. Laycock (eds), Pacific Linguistic Studies in Honour of Arthur Capell, Canberra, Linguistic Circle of Canberra | | 1971 | Published: A. Capell, Arosi Grammar, Canberra, Linguistic Circle of Canberra | | 1971 | Published: A. Capell, Cave Painting Myths: Northern Kimberley, Sydney, University of Sydney | | 1972 | Published: A. Capell (ed), Linguistic Papers; Volume I: General, Volume II: Indonesia and New Guinea, Sydney, University of Sydney | | 1977 | F. L. S. Bell [with introduction by A. Capell], Tanga-English, English-Tanga Dictionary, Sydney, University of Sydney | | 1980 | Published: A. Capell and J. Layard, Materials in Atchin, Malekula: Grammar, Vocabulary and Texts, Canberra, Department of Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University for Linguistic Circle of Canberra | | 28 March 1981 | Awarded a Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) at the University of Sydney | | 1984 | Published: A. Capell, Futuna-Aniwa dictionary, with Grammatical Introduction, Canberra, Department of Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University | | 1984 | Published: A. Capell and H. H. J. Coate, Comparative Studies in Northern Kimberley Languages, Canberra, Department of Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University |
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| References | Newton, Peter, 'Arthur Capell (1902-1986)' Australian Dictionary of Biography, forthcoming edition, Melbourne University Press.
Newton, Peter, Movements and Structures: An Historical Review of Capell's Approach to Comparative Linguistics in Oceania. 2 volumes. Unpublished Honours Thesis, Macquarie University
Walsh, Michael, "Obituary" Australian Aboriginal Studies 1987 (1) pp 98-9. |
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