The Bellum Grammaticale and the Rise of European Literature

Butler (Emory U.) translates bellum grammatical as "grammar war," but goes on to explain that this translation is imprecise. The term describes a genre that flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries consisting of publications that essentially subverted or mocked existing standards and rules of language, paving the way for the radical changes that lay beneath the surface. This study examines several works and explains their context and significance. In the conclusion, which is titled "Fighting Words and the Liberal Arts," the author reasserts his contention that the "language wars" shifted understanding of knowledge and communication from the rigors of Latin-based conventions to an acceptance of everyday speech, thus allowing the emergence of national literatures. Annotation c2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Erik Butler is Assistant Professor of German Studies at Emory University, where he also teaches comparative literature and film