PER VULGARE E PER SCRIPTURAM: SCRIVERE, DESCRIVERE, E NOMINARE LA LINGUA NEL MEDIOEVO

The study of the naming of languages (VIth to XVth c.) yields valuable information on the relationship established at the time between orality and writing, on the attitudes towards the new languages, and on the role that old and new should have in building cultural tradition. Grammatica, vulgare, lectera, mirror ideas of language categorized according to function and use, and vulgo dicitur might refer to either Latin or vernacular. In this context, Dante elaborated the idea of a vulgaris illustris to serve both literates and illiterates of the Romance world, much as Latin was their locutio secondaria, and both were based on the volgare di sì.