Latin and Vernacular in Quattrocento Florence and Beyond: An Introduction

Abstract

THIS CLUSTER EXPLORES the interaction between language and its sociocultural use in quattrocento Florence.This has entailed a bottom-up view of the use and understanding of Latin and the volgare at a time when humanists were refashioning classical Latin into a powerful cultural and political tool. 1 All contributions take a close look at what quattrocento authors, translators, and speakers say about their choices to perform their texts in Latin or vernacular and how they perceived and represented these languages.Clearly, these early modern multilingual communicators appreciated the power of language and its inherently social dimension.More important, they understood the social meaning and value of their plurilingualism.2 The humanists' effort to transform Ciceronian Latin into a highly prestigious and influential language captivated several quattrocento rulers (most notably Federico da Montefeltro, Leonello d'Este, and Filippo Maria Visconti) and high-ranking members of courtly and mercantile societies, who followed their studia humanitatis.3 This impression has overshadowed in many aspects

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