March 17, 2008
Scholar Charles Carlton remembered
june.avignone@rochester.edu
Charles Carlton, a respected professor of French and
Romance linguistics at the University for 33 years, died March 9 at
the Jewish Home of Rochester. Carlton, who retired from the linguistics
department in 1999, was well-known for his dedication to students and
unabashed passion for a broad range of cultures and languages, particularly
the relatively neglected study of Romanian.
Carlton, who received his Ph.D. from the University
of Michigan in Romance linguistics in 1963, came to Rochester in 1966 and
was a member and section head of both the French and linguistics programs
at different times. His 1973 book, A
Linguistic Analysis of a Collection of Late Latin Documents Composed in
Ravenna between A.D. 445 and 700, was a major
contribution to the study of the origins of Romance languages that
attracted critical acclaim from a wide variety of scholars.
The bulk of Carlton’s publications at the
University, however, focused on the Romance language of Romanian and how it
fit into the overall scheme of European languages. While Carlton received
several fellowships to study Romanian, his fascination with the language
began while he was on a National Defense Foreign Language fellowship at
UCLA in 1970.
Carlton had said in earlier interviews that he
developed a great fondness for the country’s picturesque countryside
of tucked-away villages, old wooden churches, and museums.
“Charles was a man who quite simply loved
languages,” says Gregory Carlson, a professor of linguistics, brain
and cognitive sciences, and philosophy at the University. “He was
always so easy to engage in discussions about language. Whatever the
language and whatever the facts, he loved it all, and was ever eager to
share as much as he could. This came through in his love of
teaching.”
For more than three decades, Carlton was a recognized
champion of Romania. He talked to local groups about Romanian
culture, translated Romanian literature, helped found the Society for
Romanian Studies, and edited the journal Miorita:
A Journal of Romanian Studies. He also served
as editor of the Comparative Romance Newsletter and kept an alphabetical up-to-date list of
Romania-Rochester connections with names of students, academics, speakers,
and visitors.
Carlton is survived by his wife Mary, his sons David
of Cincinnati, John of Boston, and Stephen of Plover, Wis., his sister
Jean Denton of Hartford, Conn., and four grandchildren. A private service
was held by the family. Donations may be made to the Rochester Philharmonic
Orchestra, the Rochester International Council, or the Jewish Home
Foundation.
| Previous story | Next story |
