German linguist, ethnologist, and government official who conducted important studies of a large number of languages. He also took some part in political affairs and was prime minister of the duchy of Saxe-Altenburg from 1848 to 1849.

After completing his university studies, Gabelentz did research on the Chinese and Finno-Ugric languages and published Éléments de la grammaire mandchoue (1832; “Elements of Manchu Grammar”). Other works include Grundzüge der syrjanischen Grammatik (1841; “Principles of Zyryan Grammar”) and an edition, with translation, glossary, and grammar (1843–46), of the 4th-century Gothic Bible of Bishop Ulfilas. He also wrote many papers on Swahili, Samoyed, Formosan, and other languages. His Beiträge zur Sprachenkunde (1852; “Contributions to Linguistics”) included grammars of Dakota and other little-known languages.

In 1864 he published a Manchu translation, with dictionary, of three Mongolian languages. About this time he was preparing Die melanesischen Sprachen . . . (1860–73; “The Melanesian Languages . . .”), dealing with the languages of the Fiji, New Hebrides, and other islands of the southwestern Pacific and showing their relation to Indonesian and Polynesian. He reputedly knew 80 languages, 30 of which he spoke fluently.