The article examines the terminology used by Maximus the Greek to refer to and denote the ‘Greek language’ in his Church Slavonic written production. Maximus the Greek, a sixteenth-century scholar and monk, was educated in Renaissance Italy and later invited to Russia to revise and translate sacred texts. His approach to translation was innovative, emphasising the comparison of Slavic manuscripts with Greek originals and introducing precise lexical adaptations to capture complex Greek concepts. The study focuses on three key terms (языкъ, гласъ, рѣчь) and their combinations with adjectives denoting ‘Greek’ (греческыи, еллиньскыи, еладскыи). By examining the use of these words and expressions in their linguistic contexts, the article shows how the author expanded the Church Slavonic lexicon by incorporating meanings derived from Greek that were uncommon or absent in earlier Slavic sources. These lexical-semantic innovations also reflect his deep philological training and his efforts to bridge the intellectual traditions of Byzantine, humanistic, and East Slavic cultures. The research examines the work of Maximus the Greek within the broader perspective of the cultural and historical dynamics of sixteenth-century Muscovy, highlighting his role as a mediator of ideas and methodologies. His influence not only improved the linguistic tools available to Russian scholars but also shaped the metadiscourse on translation, language and textual criticism at a time of significant cultural change.
Греческыи языкъ, еллиньская рѣчь, еладскыи гласъ: On the designation of the ‘Greek language’in selected writings of Maximus the Greek
Beatrice Bindi
2024-01-01
Abstract
The article examines the terminology used by Maximus the Greek to refer to and denote the ‘Greek language’ in his Church Slavonic written production. Maximus the Greek, a sixteenth-century scholar and monk, was educated in Renaissance Italy and later invited to Russia to revise and translate sacred texts. His approach to translation was innovative, emphasising the comparison of Slavic manuscripts with Greek originals and introducing precise lexical adaptations to capture complex Greek concepts. The study focuses on three key terms (языкъ, гласъ, рѣчь) and their combinations with adjectives denoting ‘Greek’ (греческыи, еллиньскыи, еладскыи). By examining the use of these words and expressions in their linguistic contexts, the article shows how the author expanded the Church Slavonic lexicon by incorporating meanings derived from Greek that were uncommon or absent in earlier Slavic sources. These lexical-semantic innovations also reflect his deep philological training and his efforts to bridge the intellectual traditions of Byzantine, humanistic, and East Slavic cultures. The research examines the work of Maximus the Greek within the broader perspective of the cultural and historical dynamics of sixteenth-century Muscovy, highlighting his role as a mediator of ideas and methodologies. His influence not only improved the linguistic tools available to Russian scholars but also shaped the metadiscourse on translation, language and textual criticism at a time of significant cultural change.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
