Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Pallas, Peter Simon pāˈtər zēˈmôn päˈläs [key], 1741–1811, German naturalist and explorer. He became (1768) professor at the Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg. In 1769, Pallas was a membe...

(Encyclopedia) Simon Fraser University, main campus at Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada; provincially supported; coeducational; chartered 1963, opened 1965. The Harbour Centre campus in downtown Vancouver opened in...

(Encyclopedia) Favart, Charles Simon shärl sēmôNˈ fävärˈ [key], 1710–92, French dramatist and theatrical manager, for a time director of the Opéra-Comique. He was the originator of the modern light opera a...

(Encyclopedia) Jouffroy, Théodore Simon tāôdôrˈ sēmôNˈ zho͞ofrwäˈ [key], 1796–1842, French philosopher. He was professor at the Collège de France and librarian at the Univ. of Paris. His translations o...

(Encyclopedia) Gabelentz, Hans Conon von der häns kōˈnôn fən dĕr gäˈbəlĕnts [key], 1807–74, German linguist. Gabelentz showed the broad relationships among Pacific languages. He spoke 30 languages well a...

(Encyclopedia) Van, Lake vän [key], 1,453 sq mi (3,763 sq km), largest lake in Turkey, in E Turkey 65 mi (105 km) SW of Mt. Ararat. Some 75 mi (120 km) long, the lake is alkaline and has no outlet; the city of Van ...

(Encyclopedia) Episcopius, Simon ĕpĭskōˈpēəs [key], 1583–1643, Dutch Protestant theologian, whose original name was Biscop, Bischop, or Bisschop. Episcopius accepted the teachings of Jacobus Arminius and was...

(Encyclopedia) Ballanche, Pierre-Simon pyĕr-sēmôNˈ bäläNshˈ [key], 1776–1847, French philosopher. A frequenter of Mme Récamier's salon, he was elected to the Académie française in 1842. He is regarded as...

(Encyclopedia) Van Wert văn wûrt [key], city (1990 pop. 10,891), seat of Van Wert co., NW Ohio, near the Ind. line, in a rich grain-farming area; inc. 1848. Fabricated metal products, electronic equipment, cheeses...

(Encyclopedia) Walther von der Vogelweide välˈtər fən dĕr fōˈgəlvīˌdə [key], c.1170–c.1230, German minnesinger of noble birth, probably the finest lyric poet of medieval Germany. He wandered from court ...