Philippe Wolff Bücher

Short, punchy, and highly illustrated, this brilliant historical survey of the development of language in the West is a classic reference. When did Europeans stop speaking Latin? How did the actions of society or religion influence vocabulary? What affect did the conquest of the Anglo-Saxon countries by William the Conquerer and his French-speaking knights have on language? Surveying the linguistic scene from Cicero to Gutenberg, this landmark study illuminates not only language, but the entire development of the West.

Focusing on a tumultuous historical period, the narrative explores the interplay of wars, famines, and epidemics that fueled societal conflicts from 1378 to 1382. Key events include the Florentine 'Ciompi' revolt, uprisings in Flanders and France, laborer revolts in England, and the Hussite crisis. The book provides a detailed analysis of how these crises shaped the social and political landscape of the time.