Correctness in Comparison

Negotiating Linguistic Norms in Greek from the Imperial Roman until the Later Byzantine Period (I-XV AD)

Bentein, Klaas (ed.)
Cuomo, Andrea Massimo (ed.)

This edited volume examines the relationship between linguistic usage and the norms that define it within the Greek language. Spanning the Imperial Age, Byzantine period, and Renaissance, it draws on a diverse range of sources—including literary texts, non-literary documents, and grammatical treatises—to illuminate evolving concepts of linguistic correctness.
Bringing together specialists in Post-classical and Medieval Greek, the volume investigates how linguistic norms and standards were shaped by their sociocultural and historical contexts. In addition to its exploration of theoretical frameworks for correctness, the volume addresses key themes such as the interaction between high and low registers in official documents and the contributions of Byzantine grammarians to the development of syntactic and stylistic conventions.
Incorporating approaches from (historical) sociolinguistics, the collection underscores the dynamic nature of Greek as it balanced tradition and innovation. Scholars of Greek language and linguistics will find in this volume a valuable resource for understanding the interplay of language, culture, and history across centuries.