An Influential Latin Dictionary and Its Etymologies (12th Century CE) in the Linguistic Landscape of Medieval Europe
Michele Loporcaro
The bestselling dictionary of the late Middle Ages was named after a morphological procedure, “derivations.” It written by Hugutio (also known as Uguccione) from Pisa, bishop Ferrara, probably in 1160s, and its title refers to one procedures used order explain origin meaning words. In addition, etymological speculation, with method inherited Latin Antiquity—from Varro via Isidore Seville—also has prominent place this work, which enjoyed great success. an epoch when Romance languages, including Italian, had long ousted everyday native spoken usage, Hugutio’s book extensively cited dictionary, write not only Latin—still main language culture Western Europe for centuries come—but also vernaculars then-incipient vulgar literature; example, no less figure than Dante Alighieri. To us, Derivations (Derivationes) is valuable source both knowledge Medieval thought information on Italian lexicon, at time documentation still very scarce.
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