Page "Thomas Young (scientist)" Paragraph 30

When the French linguist Jean-François Champollion in 1822 published a translation of the hieroglyphs and the key to the grammatical system, Young ( and many others ) praised his work.

In 1823, Young published an Account of the Recent Discoveries in Hieroglyphic Literature and Egyptian Antiquities, in order to have his own work recognised as the basis for Champollion's system.

In this, he made it clear that many of his findings had been published and sent to Paris in 1816.

Young had correctly found the sound value of six signs, but had not deduced the grammar of the language.

Champollion was unwilling to share the credit.

In the ensuing schism, strongly motivated by the political tensions of that time, the British championed Young, while the French supported Champollion.

Champollion maintained that he alone had deciphered the hieroglyphs, although his understanding of the hieroglyphic grammar showed the same mistakes made by Young.

However, after 1826, when Champollion was a curator in the Louvre he did offer Young access to demotic manuscripts.