Robert L. Ramsay (academic)

Robert L. Ramsay (1880-1962) was an American professor of English and philologist, specializing in Middle English literature and place-name studies. He is primarily known for his extensive research on English place names, particularly those in Missouri and the Ozarks region.

Ramsay received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1916. He taught at the University of Missouri from 1908 until his retirement in 1950, heading the English Department for a significant portion of his tenure.

His most significant contribution is considered to be The Place Names of Boone County, Missouri (1952), a meticulously researched and detailed study that exemplifies his approach to onomastics. His work involved extensive fieldwork, interviewing local residents and consulting historical documents to trace the origins and evolution of place names. He also authored Introduction to Middle English (1928), a textbook widely used in university courses.

Ramsay's scholarship helped to establish place-name studies as a legitimate and valuable academic discipline. His work continues to be cited by scholars interested in the history, language, and cultural geography of the American Midwest.