Missionary linguists

Armenian theologian and linguist (362–440)

Bodhidharma was a semi-legendary Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th or 6th century CE. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China, and is regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. He is also popularly regarded as the founder of Shaolin kung fu, an idea popularized in the 20th century, but based on the 17th century Yijin Jing and the Daoist association of daoyin gymnastics with Bodhidharma.

9th-century Byzantine Christian theologians and missionaries

Ulfilas (; – 383), known also as Wulfila(s) or Urphilas, was a 4th-century Gothic preacher of Cappadocian Greek descent. He was the apostle to the Gothic people.

Kumārajīva (Sanskrit: ; , 344–413 CE) was a Buddhist monk, scholar, missionary and translator from Kucha (present-day Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, China). Kumārajīva is seen as one of the greatest translators of Chinese Buddhism. According to Lu Cheng, Kumarajiva's translations are "unparalleled either in terms of translation technique or degree of fidelity".

non-profit organization to study, develop and document languages, and evangelize Christianity

Saint Columbanus (; 543 – 21 November 615) was an Irish missionary notable for founding a number of monasteries after 590 in the Frankish and Lombard kingdoms, most notably Luxeuil Abbey in present-day France and Bobbio Abbey in present-day Italy.

missionary to Greenland, Lutheran pastor (1686-1758)

Indian feminist historian and social reformer (1858–1922)

Agastya was a revered Indian sage of Hinduism. In the Indian tradition, he is a noted recluse and an influential scholar in diverse languages of the Indian subcontinent. He is regarded in some traditions to be a Chiranjivi. He and his wife Lopamudra are the celebrated authors of hymns 1.165 to 1.191 in the Sanskrit text Rigveda and other Vedic literature.

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Flemish Jesuit missionary in Qing dynasty China (1623–1688)

Russian Orthodox priest

Irish churchman, astronomer, bishop of Salzburg

3rd President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (1808–1887)

Russian saint

Russian bishop and saint

Russian sinologist (1817–1878)

German Lutheran clergy (1682-1719)

Jesuit missionary into China

Chinese Christian preacher (1905–1997)

Dano-Norwegian theologian

Catholic missionary and bishop (1797-1868)

Buddhist priest and writing system inventor

'''''' (; J. Jiku Hōgo; K. Ch'uk Pŏpho; c. 233–310) was one of the most important early translators of Mahayana sutras into Chinese. Several of his translations had profound effects on East Asian Buddhism. He is described in scriptural catalogues as Yuezhi in origin.

Croatian linguist and lexicographer

Mexican Mesoamerican linguist

Portuguese missionary

Danish missionary and scientist

Irish missionary

Czech traveller, cartographer, Christian missionary and Roman Catholic priest

Hindu leader from the United States

Polish explorer

Dutch missionary (1906-1995)

Bodhiruci () was a Buddhist monk from North India (6th century CE) active in the area of Luoyang, China. He was appointed as master translator at Yongning (永寧寺) temple by emperor Xuanwu of the Northern Wei. In his translations, Bodhiruci was assisted by the central Indian monk Ratnamati (勒那摩提).

Norwegian academic (1865–1938)

Polish roman-catholic Priest

Faroese missionary (1894–1961)

Australian missionary in India

Anglican bishop (1799-1879)

missionary in China

Norwegian missionary working in South Africa (1817-1882)

Dutch missionary and bishop (1840–1900)

Capuchin priest, missionary to Easter Island (1888-1969)

Peruvian Jesuit priest and missionary (1585–1652)

Dutch missionary

Ethiopian evangelist, Bible translator, author, and educator

Russian bishop (1835–1926)

Finnish missionary (1845–1926)

Belgian missionary and linguist who studied Mongolic languages (1881–1971)

Christian missionary (1768-1837)

Mullah in Turkey (1861-1919)

Norwegian missionary (1840–1910)

Norwegian priest, linguist and missionary (1903-1995)

Jesuit priest, missionary, astronomer (1644–1709) in China

British orientalist (1812-1894)

British sinologist (1861–1935)

Swiss-born South African missionary, ethnographer, anthropologist, linguist and naturalist (1863-1934)

Portuguese Jesuit missionary

New Zealand missionary (1821–1904)