This paper delves deeper into the history of the vernacular languages, their development and the impacts to Latin as an educational language and the cultures of the time. There is a thorough explication on the roles that different factors played in the eventual growth of the vernacular languages, and the impact that they led to. An assessment of the whole rubric of the vernacular languages is carefully developed with greater emphasis to factors leading to the growth of the languages and impacts posed.
The origin of vernacular languages and their Impacts
The vernacular language can be defined as the language that is native to a country rather than a cultured foreign, or literary language that is adopted by a certain group or party in their communication in the daily lives (Sunje, 2011).The Latin language was predominantly the language of education for a long time in the mediaeval period until the advent of vernacular languages( i.e. French, Spanish, Portuguese et cetera).The vernacular languages became in existence during the Renaissance period when the Latin language was slowly under shift by many Renaissance humanists who started developing systematic study of language. This continued leading to an eventual in-depth study of languages where they each wrote in vernacular-later advancing methods of defining the aesthetics of writing (Sayre, 2010). Before the twelfth century, the Latin language was the most widely used language of education. The language was influenced by the Greek language; the Celtic languages and the Etruscan languages (Sayre, 2010).This led to a spirited indulgence in the languages which saw it manifest itself as a major educational language, where scholars expressed themselves through the same language.
The Latin language was in continuous development due to the fact that there existed a difference in the time of use of the Latin language between the users i.e. the educated and the less educated. Before the advent of vernacular writing there existed a blunt period of time when the cultures of the time would indulge in drama, ritual dances, improvisation troupes and live performances. This was around the 500-1000 BC after in the 7th to 9th centuries. During this period the kings of the time passed their laws and writs in the Latin language but some vernacular languages spotted the documents of the time on a less scale. It was from this period that the growth of vernacular languages picked up with the growth and the indulgence offered by writers and scholars who willingly chose to write in the vernaculars thus leading to their growth. The vernaculars developed through the development of Christianity and education to the society. The liberalization of the education as its advancement from the corridors of the church and the clergy saw a massive efforts in the development of written vernacular as a medium of learning. This was finally to lead to the development of the languages and eventual adoption of the languages as the languages of instruction, research and education-thus limiting the growth of the original Latin. However the development of Latin still progressed especially in the fields of science and research where the scientific names are written and recognized in a Latin language to date.
There are several factors that led to the spread of the vernacular language. Some of the factors include; the need to spread Christianity to a broader community of speakers, the role of women in the development of culture-this was more specifically in their indulgence to taking part in cultural debates and technological advancement (Sayre, 2010). These were some of the factors that led to a greater increase in the development of the vernacular languages. Sayre, (2010), argues that it was the monks that were responsible for the translation of the Bible into the vernacular languages from the Latin language. Once the Bible was available in the vernacular, then Christianity would easily be absorbed and read by the many communities of people around the world. This therefore was reason enough for the increased growing efforts of the vernacular. The result was that Christianity grew up fast, as the Latin language continued dwindling in its hold on the educational set up.
Vernacular languages also had another implication on the cultures of the time. It had the effect of uniting the people of certain regions together. This therefore led to the more unity and co-operation in the development of the cultures of the time. Sunje (2011) argues that although the standardization of the vernacular language brought the unison of people, what actually brought the people together was the use of vernacular language. This he says is evidenced by the development of nations based on the vernacular being used in the regions of use.
The role of women in the spread and adoption of vernacular languages should also not be underestimated. During the early periods, around the 14th century Latin was used in schools where boys from rich backgrounds used it. Girls also entered the schools but on a minimal level. Therefore when women wanted to engage in cultural debates it had to be done in vernaculars leading to its growth (McCash, 2008).This therefore gave women more freedom of expression leading to greater works of art written in vernacular. Technological advancement also had the effect of promoting the development of vernacular language. The invention of paper writing had greater implications, meaning that more people were able to read and write than it had been earlier developed. Slavitt (1999) advances that the invention of the printing process and moving letters by Gutenberg was so helpful in the development of vernacular. The first book to be printed in vernacular was the Bible, thus having further positive implications in the development of the languages. By the end of the 15th century the vernacular languages were established as the languages of literature, education and expression. The Latin language was rarely spoken and therefore its use was limited. These represent some of the implications and the impacts cast by the advent of the vernacular languages to the societies that adopted them.
McCash, J. (2008).The Role of Women in the Rise of Vernacular. Comparative Literature, 60(1), 45-57.Retrieved from EBSCOhost http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=9084f768-a13f-4d80-9c5a-52f8bce13e75%40sessionmgr12&vid=1&hid=3&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=31846334
Sayre, H. (2010).Discovering the Humanities. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall
Slavitt, D.R (1999).The Decline and Fall of Latin (and the Rise of English).World& I, 14(10).Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Sunje, S. (2011).The Impact of Vernacular Language During the middle ages. Retrieved from http://sternenfeeinflorida.wordpress.com/2011/10/21/the-impact-of-vernacular-language-during-the-middle-ages
