Vulgar Latin refers to those features of Latin language that were not recommended by the classical grammarians but existed nonetheless. Although Vulgar Latin is not well documented, evidence can be deduced from details of the spelling, grammar, and vocabulary that occur in texts of the later Roman Empire, late antiquity, and the early Middle Ages. Every aspect of Vulgar Latin is exemplified in this book, proving that the language is not separate in itself, but an integral part of Latin.Originally published in French in 1967, Vulgar Latin was translated more recently into Spanish in an expanded and revised version. The English translation by Roger Wright accurately portrays Vulgar Latin as a complicated field of study, where little is known with absolute certainty, but a great deal can be worked out with considerable probability through careful critical analysis of the data. This text is an invaluable aid to research and understanding for all those interested in Latin, Romance languages, historical linguistics, early medieval texts, and early medieval history.József Herman is the former director of the Linguistic Research Institute at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and is currently Professor of Latin Linguistics at the University of Venice. He is a well-known authority on the history of later Latin and the prehistory of Romance languages

Excerpt from An Introduction to Vulgar Latin While this book is intended primarily for students of Romance Philology, it will, I hope, be of some interest to Classical scholars as well. Although it has been long in the making, I have endeavored to keep it, at every stage, abreast of current scholarship. I have tried, furthermore, to treat all portions of the subject, not exhaustively, but with even fulness; I fear, however, that the Syntax - perhaps unavoidably - is somewhat scanty as compared with the other parts. It will be seen that I have continually furnished abundant references for the guidance of those who wish to look further into special topics. My principal authorities are listed in the Bibliography; others are cited in the appropriate places in the text. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This original guide introduces you to the basic grammar of Vulgar Latin and the Romance languages. Compare related languages to understand how nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, words, phrases and sentences work throughout this language family. Challenge yourself to see commonalities among a range of Romance languages and to understand their shared history from Vulgar Latin. View examples from major Romance languages like Portuguese, French and Romanian, as well as many regional languages like Catalan, Sardinian and Romansh.Clear formatting and a thorough index allow you to identify key terms and quickly cross-reference relevant sections for more information. Romance examples are printed in bold, translations in italics and key grammar terms tackled elsewhere in the book are underlined.Extra materials include comparative grammar tables with notes, a brief tour of Vulgar Latin grammar, a chapter on the pronunciation of Romance, helpful maps and a glossary of language names. Balanced explanations and examples, a thorough index and a clear table of contents make this the ideal reference guide for students and enthusiasts of the Romance languages, Vulgar Latin/Proto-Romance or Romance linguistics.