Early to Late Medieval Europe
Louis G. Kelly
By the fifth century Latin had become language of education and been brought to new areas via expansion Christianity. The grammars by Donatus (fourth century) Priscian’s (sixth were canonical textbooks.The Carolingian Renaissance (eighth-ninth linguistic consequences: promotion scholarship, return original texts, reform pronunciation. twelfth represents a turning point in study language: aim is not just describing practical training, but reflecting on relationship between ‘dialectic’ (logic) grammar (cf. Peter Helias). This opened way general/formal theory language, ‘speculative grammar.’ It flourished thirteenth century, with idea that intervenes both knowledge reality ‘modes signifying.' Modistae systematized their predecessors’ work investigated further relation meaning universal properties language. In fifteenth nominalists, for whom modes signifying unnecessary, attacked theories.The author notes an interest pragmatics coming from theologians, rather than grammarians philosophers. chapter closes review vernaculars (Catalan, Provençal, Old French).
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