Rabelais and His World Chapter Summary & Analysis - Chapter 16, Chapter 7 - Rabelais' Images & His Time Summary

Chapter 16, Chapter 7 - Rabelais' Images & His Time Summary and Analysis

The final topics in the book is the matter of Latin with the common languages of the people. There is an effort to bring Latin back into full usage during the 16th century but the effort seems to destroy the daily functionality of Latin, while relegating Latin to a special language. Today, Latin is viewed as a dead language with specialist uses and historical importance. Scientific nomenclature and much of the work of the Catholic Church—specialist areas where there is an unusual need to transcend ordinary linguistic boundaries—are the few places where Latin is used today. It is also considered to be "for special purposes" and as such, has developed a special relationship with what is now known as jargon. Bakhtain explains that the changes between the common speech and Latin is worked out and cemented with great effort during the times in which Rabelais is a living man. Mikhail...
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