Languages and Language
Michael Silk|Ingo Gildenhard|Rosemary Barrow
This chapter deals with the classical tradition in Italy, France, Germany, and English-speaking world. Accordingly, it focuses on relationships between four languages, Italian, French, German, English, languages of antiquity. However, given huge presence Medieval Renaissance Latin cultural history West, ‘classical’ which are, different degrees, bound up cannot be restricted to antiquity, strict sense. Conversely: both this special relationship English too, Latin-centred developments are prominent chapter. In historical-linguistic terms within Indo-European language family Greek have no relationship: they share certain archaic traits, especially grammar, chiefly because attested early, whereas many branches not until much later, giving them far longer lose their inherited archaisms.