The Celtic scholar and folklorist W. F. H. Nicolaisen died on Sunday in Aberdeen at the age of 88.
Nicolaisen, who went by the first name "Bill," is best known for his study of Scottish place names, and his 1976 book on the topic brings into focus the relationship between linguistics, history, legend and location. Born in Germany, he held advanced degrees from Tübingen and Glasgow, and his early scholarship was formed from his 13 years in the 1950s and 1960s as head of the Scottish Place-Name Survey in the School of Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh.
Nicolaisen was appointed to the faculty of the English Department at what was then called SUNY Binghamton in 1969. At Binghamton he helped develop the university's folklore program, and from that perch had a strong influence on Celtic studies as it was developing in North America during the 1970s and 1980s. Nicolaisen retired from Binghamton in 1992 and returned to Scotland, where he served on the faculty of the University of Aberdeen.
Memorial services are expected to be held at some point in both Aberdeen and Binghamton, but details weren't immediately available.