Vernacular languages instead of Latin –

transition in academic dissertations and

orations in the 17th century University of Tartu (in Academia Gustaviana, 1632-

1656) Kaidi Kriisa

Lund 2012

Introduction • In the context of the 17th century

University of Tartu...Linguistic communication of the

intellectuals – Latin-centered Administrative and communicative

language, the field of jurisprudence, the first stages of elementary education – (High) German

The language used in academic sphere – mostly Latin...or was it?

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

Occurence of vernacular languages

(1)Corpus:

Out of 531 academic publications, 74 contained passages in vernacular languages, altogether 252 segments.

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

Occurence of vernacular

languages (2)

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

Languages used (1)

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

Languages used (2)Majority languages:

(High) German Swedish

Minority languages: Low GermanFinnishDutch

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

Thematical-formal typology (1)

Unlatinized forms of toponyms and proper names, including name listings and nicknames:

Treyden pro Turaida

Headings and subheadings of German books:

Illustris Steno Bielke d[icto] l[oco] Vid[e] Reformation guter Policey zu Augspurg An[no] .../.../

Terminology and formulas: /.../et ipsi qui exercent eas opifices non artifices,

Handwerksleute/.../

Short explanations of word’s etymology: /.../ cui Barrabus, id est, Filius Patris, Uater Söhnlein /.../

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

Thematical-formal typology (2)

Proverbs, sayings, enigmatic questions: /.../ umb. S[ankt]. Veit/ kömpt die Fliege selb nennde. /.../

Poems and church songs: /.../ Zwischen Lucern und Unterwalden/ Erhebt er sicht mit gehem staltn /.../

Quotations, commentaries and quotations from contemporary theological literature:

/.../ Quare etiam Sacramenta per contemptum quidam, maxime (Calviniani) Beywege appellitant, /.../

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

Thematical-formal typology (3)

Quotations from jurisprudential texts, historical books and political treatises

Illustris Steno Bielke d[icto] l[oco]. V[ide] Reformation guter Policey zu Augspurg A[nno] 1530. & 1548.

Usage of Swedish was more limited:

Unlatinized forms of toponyms and proper names & name listings:

Oppida habet Borgo & Helsingfors.

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

Thematical-formal typology (4)

A poemHwar tåncke om sig som thet bör/ (Everybody should, correctly, think it

over)

Tigh achta för then Gudh tigh gör/ (Beware of the on who divinizes you!)

doch Högferd fly och ösvermödh (However, flee away from conceit and hubris)

Att Gudh ey sielff tigh står emoot. (So God himself will not stand against You)

Quotations from legal writings, including the code of Laws and a soldier’s oath

Sverikes Rikes LandzlaghKristofers Landzlagh

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

ExceptionsSoldier’s oath

Four-versed poem in Swedish

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

Faculties’ linguistic preferences (1)

1. The Faculty of Theology Out of 65 segments, just one in Dutch Quotations from the Bible Andreas Virginius – 55 segments

2. The Faculty of Jurisprudence 39 segments= 23 German+ 16 Swedish Words: German= 129, Swedish= 555 L. Ludenius x 5 (Swedish), H. Hein x 1

(German)

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

Faculties’ linguistic preferences (2)

3. The Faculty of Philosophy High German, Swedish, Low German,

Finnish 22 publications: ethical, poetical, historical,

rhetorical ≠ natural sciences nor philosophia propria Toponymical descriptions

4. The Faculty of Medicine Vernaculars = 0

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

Conclusion

The 17th century University of Tartu was rather opened to vernacular languages.

At the first decade German was the most commonly used vernacular language, later on the usage of Swedish increased considerably.

Introduction Occurence Languages Themes Exceptions Faculties Conclusion

I would like to thank all of You, the audience, for Your patience, moreover I would like to thank my supervisor, professor Kristi Viiding, who

led me to this extremely interesting topic and who has

been really supportive through all my(research) process