Duration
30h Th, 15h Pr
Number of credits
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
This course consists of a critical overview of the main developments in the Latin language from the patristic period to the 12th century in a historical perspective. The lecture sessions alternate with critical reading sessions (text translation and interpretation exercises; critical juxtaposition readings) of historical texts of different literary genres (historiography, hagiography, diplomatic, epistolary...) representative of the state of the language at different periods and in different regions of latin West. This course is an opportunity to appreciate the great flexibility of the Latin language and its remarkable ability to adapt to the needs of early medieval societies. It also provides an opportunity to examine the interdependence between oral and written language, the concept of renaissance (Carolingian, 12th century, 15th century), and to assess the ambitions of the Carolingian cultural reform and its decisive influence on the Latin language in the Frankish world.
In 2025-2026, particular attention will be focused on early medieval hagiography.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
At the end of this course, students will be able to
- explain the evolution of the Latin norm over the centuries from the grammatical, orthographic and syntactic points of view;
- identify the main linguistic characteristics of a text, analyse them, comment on them and, on this basis, formulate a simple hypothesis of dating or writing circumstances;
- translate, place in its historical context of development and comment on a text seen in class;
- comment on the translation of a text not seen in class but produced in a context similar to those seen in class.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Good command of classical Latin.
Good command of the oral and written French.
Ideally, the student should have taken the course Histoire du moyen âge (HIST0040-1) or Introduction historique aux courants de pensées du moyen âge (HIST0090-1)
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The student must prepare their translation into French and commentary before the course.
The PPt to support the lectures will be posted on eCampus along with the texts to be prepared and the suggested readings.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Further information:
The suspension of certain lessons could be compensated by written work
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Recommended medieval Latin textbooks (available in university libraries)
- GOULLET Monique, PARISSE Michel, Apprendre le latin médiéval. Manuel pour grands commençants, Paris, 1996.
- BOURGAIN Pascale, HUBERT Marie-Clothilde, Le Latin médiéval, Turnhout, Brepols, 2005 (L'atelier du médiéviste, t. 10)
- BLAISE Albert, Dictionnaire latin-français des auteurs chrétiens du Moyen Âge, revu spécialement pour le vocabulaire théologique par Chirat Henri, Turnhout, Brepols, 1954.
- BLAISE Albert, Dictionnaire latin-français des auteurs du Moyen Âge, Turnhout, Brepols, 1975.
- BLAISE Albert, Le vocabulaire latin des principaux thèmes liturgiques, revu par Dumas Antoine, Turnhout, Brepols, 1966.
- GOELZER Henri, Le latin en poche : dictionnaire Garnier: dictionnaire latin-français contenant tous les mots usuels de la langue latine des origines à l'époque carolingienne, réed., Paris, Flammarion, 1999 [1928].
- NIERMEYER Jan Frederik, VAN de KIEFT Co, Mediae latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leyde, Brill, 1976.
-
Database of Latin Dictionaries, [en ligne] Brepolis, http://clt.brepolis.net/dld
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
oral exam
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
1st lesson : Thursday 25 September 10.00 am.
Contacts
Florence Close, Professeur Histoire du Moyen Âge Département des Sciences Historiques Quai Roosevelt, 1 - Bat A4 B 4000 Liège fclose@uliege.be