H.L. Gonin

H.L. Gonin (1906-1997), classicist and translator.

Biography
Born Henri Louis Gonin in Stellenbosch, where his father was a teacher at Paul Roos Gymnasium. He studied Latin at Stellenbosch University (BA 1926, SOD 1934, both cum laude), then went to Balliol College, Oxford with a Rhodes Bursary, to complete an MA (1930). This was followed by a D.Litt at the University of Leiden.

He lectured in Latin at Stellenbosch University until 1938, then went to the University of Pretoria, where he remained  for 34 years, until his retirement in 1971, starting as professor in Classical Studies, later becoming the Head of the Department of Latin and eventually Dean of the Faculty of Arts. In this period he also studied Law at the University of Pretoria, completing his LLB cum laude in 1950.

After his retirement, Gonin helped out in a variety of departments, among them the French Department of the University of Pretoria (as acting head), the Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit (RAU) and the Department of Classical languages at UNISA.

He was a founding member of the Classical Association of South Africa, one-time chief editor of Acta Classica and was the author of the first Latin Grammar in Afrikaans.

Contribution to theatre and performance in South Africa
He translated the French drama Les Corbeaux, by Henri Becque, into Afrikaans as Die Aasvoëls, for performance by Volksteater in Pretoria in 1950.

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