Medieval Latin Quiz

Medieval Latin: The Form of Latin Used in the Middle Ages

• Medieval Latin was the form of literary Latin used in Western Europe during the Middle Ages, serving as the primary written language, though local languages were also written to varying degrees.
• Latin functioned as the main medium of scholarly exchange, as the liturgical language of the Church, and as the working language of science, literature, law, and administration.
• Medieval Latin represented a continuation of Classical Latin and Late Latin, with enhancements for new concepts as well as for the increasing integration of Christianity.
• The terms Medieval Latin and Ecclesiastical Latin are sometimes used synonymously, though some scholars draw distinctions.
• Christian Latin heavily influenced Medieval Latin, as well as the various Germanic languages spoken by the Germanic tribes who invaded southern Europe.
• Latin was also spread to areas such as Ireland and Germany, where Romance languages were not spoken, and which had never known Roman rule.
• Every Latin author in the medieval period spoke Latin as a second language, with varying degrees of fluency and syntax.
• Medieval Latin had ceased to be a living language and was instead a scholarly language of the minority of educated men (and a tiny number of women) in medieval Europe.
• The corpus of medieval Latin literature encompasses a wide range of texts, including such diverse works as sermons, hymns, hagiographical texts, travel literature, histories, epics, and lyric poetry.
• Latin's use in universities was structured in lectures and debates, however, it was highly recommended that students use it in conversation.
• Latin served little purpose to the regular population but was still used regularly in ecclesiastical culture.
• Medieval Latin would be replaced by educated humanist Renaissance Latin which then developed into New Latin.