Full Description
Before the modern nation-state became a stable, widespread phenomenon throughout northern Europe, multilingualism-the use of multiple languages in one geographical area-was common throughout the region. This book brings together historians and linguists, who apply their respective analytic tools to offer an interdisciplinary interpretation of the functions of multilingualism in identity-building in the period, and, from that, draw valuable lessons for understanding today's cosmopolitan societies.
Contents
Languages and Culture in History: A New Series Willem Frijhoff, Marie-Christine Kok Escalle, Karène Sanchez-Summerer I. Approaches of Multilingualism in the Past 1. Codes, routines and communication: Forms and Meaning of Linguistic Plurality in Western Societies in Former Times Willem Frijhoff 2. Capitalizing Multilingual Competence: Language Learning and Teaching in the Early Modern Period Pierre Swiggers II. Multilingualism in Early Modern Times: Three Examples 3. Plurilingualism in Augsburg and Nuremberg in Early Modern Times Konrad Schröder 4. Multilingualism in the Dutch Golden Age: An Exploration Willem Frijhoff 5. Literacy, Usage, and National Prestige: The Changing Fortunes of Gaelic in Ireland Joep Leerssen
