Catalan Language Evolution: From Royal Chancery to Printing Press
The Royal Chancery: Architect of Medieval Catalan Language
The Royal Chancery was a pivotal institution responsible for managing the correspondence, letters, and archival documents of all administrations within the Crown of Aragon. Its officials were highly proficient in the official languages of the Chancery, adapting their usage based on the recipient. In the Catalan Countries, nearly all official documentation from notaries, courts, and other bodies was meticulously written in the official language and proper style.
Established by James I of Aragon in the early 13th century, the Royal Chancery flourished until the 15th century. Its functions were eventually transferred to the Council of Aragon by Ferdinand the Catholic. The Chancery reached its zenith under Peter the Ceremonious, during whose reign the monarch was surrounded by learned officials. Among them was the renowned Catalan classical writer Bernat Metge, whose chancery prose marked a significant shift towards complex Latin sentence structures.
The institution also played a crucial role in the Latinization of Catalan translations of Greco-Latin works, notably those by authors like Antoni Canals. The Royal Chancery is widely regarded as the creator of a unitary medieval Catalan language. Throughout its existence, it served as a powerful unifying and maturing factor for the language. The Chancellor, for instance, imposed specific rules to standardize the drafting of documents, ensuring clarity and widespread understanding.
In a broader linguistic context of the era, figures like Ramon Llull, a native of Mallorca, born into a noble family of Catalan settlers, mastered multiple languages, including Occitan. His ambitious objectives, from his youth, included using Latin and Arabic for international communication, preaching Christianity in Islamic lands, and fostering connections with fellow scholars and personal acquaintances.
The Printing Press and Catalan Language Standardization
The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in Germany was revolutionary. It not only facilitated the widespread dissemination of texts but also significantly contributed to the standardization and unity of language.
Valencia: A Hub of Early Printing
During the last third of the 15th century, Valencia emerged as the primary center for book printing in the Iberian Peninsula. This was largely due to the influx of numerous German printers who settled and developed their activities there. One of the first printing presses in Valencia was established by the German printer Nicolaus Spindeler. In 1474, he published Obres i trobes en llaor de la Verge Maria (Works and Verses in Praise of the Virgin Mary), which is considered the first printed work on the Iberian Peninsula.
The Need for Linguistic Fixation
The advent of printing necessitated a greater fixation of spelling and grammatical lexicon. This meant making definitive decisions about which letter structures and words would be consistently printed. The responsibility for this crucial standardization fell upon solicitors, lawyers, and teachers. These professionals possessed solid administrative language training, enabling them to meticulously correct texts before they went to print.
Criteria for Language Standardization
The basic criteria that guided their work prioritized three main linguistic solutions:
- Cultisms (Latinisms): Words directly borrowed or adapted from Latin, reflecting the importance of classical learning. Examples include aidar (to help) and caring (to think upon).
- Urbanisms (Valencian Urban Forms): Linguistic forms prevalent in urban centers, particularly Valencia, which held significant cultural prestige. Examples include aufegar (to drown) and Giner (January).
- Westernisms: Forms characteristic of Western Catalan dialects, especially those from Valencia, reflecting its demographic, economic, cultural, and political hegemony. Examples include dos (two) and mirall (mirror).
This triple approach to language standardization was primarily based on two significant factors:
- The enduring importance of Latin as the language of international culture, even as Catalan gained increasing prominence in public spaces, particularly in the vibrant cities of Barcelona and Valencia.
- The growing prestige of Western Catalan, largely due to the demographic, economic, cultural, and political dominance of Valencia.
Notable Linguistic Works of the 15th Century
Notable examples of linguistic works from the second half of the 15th century include:
- Liber Elegantiarum (1489), considered one of the first bilingual dictionaries in Europe.
- Regles de esquivar vocables o mots grossers o pagesívols (Rules for Avoiding Coarse or Rustic Words) (1492) by Bernat Fenollar (Valencia) and Jeroni Pau (Barcelona), which focused on linguistic correctness.