This paper reviews the state of the art concerning how documentary formulae were reproduced in early medieval private charters written in Latin. It assesses the theoretical considerations and empirical evidence supporting one or the other of the two main hypotheses: i) that charter scribes copied the formulae from models or ii) that they had memorized the formulae and reproduced them from memory each time they wrote a new charter. While proposing that the memorization hypothesis is more robust, I also recognise intermediate positions.Peer reviewe

Korkiakangas, Timo

English

Helsingin yliopiston digitaalinen arkisto

From memory or formulary : how were medieval documentary formulae reproduced?

This paper seeks to review the state of the art concerning how documentary formulae were reproduced in early medieval private charters written in Latin. I shall estimate which kind of theoretical considerations and empirical evidence there are to support one or the other of the two main hypotheses, i.e., that i) charter scribes copied the formulae from models or ii) they had memorized the formulae and reproduced them from memory each time they wrote a new charter. I shall propose that the memorization hypothesis is more robust, but I shall also recognize intermediate positions.&nbsp;This paper reviews the state of the art concerning how documentary formulae were reproduced in early medieval private charters written in Latin. It assesses the theoretical considerations and empirical evidence supporting one or the other of the two main hypotheses: i) that charter scribes copied the formulae from models or ii) that they had memorized the formulae and reproduced them from memory each time they wrote a new charter. While proposing that the memorization hypothesis is more robust, I also recognise intermediate positions.
Muistista vai mallista: miten keskiaikaisten asiakirjojen kaavamaiset ilmaukset tuotettiin?
Artikkeli tarkastelee, miten varhaiskeskiaikaisten latinaksi kirjoitettujen yksityisoikeudellisten asiakirjojen kaavamainen aines tuotettiin. Artikkelissa arvioidaan nykytietämyksen valossa niitä teoreettisia näkökohtia ja empiiristä todistusaineistoa, jotka tukevat jompaakumpaa kahdesta päähypoteesista: i) asiakirjojen kirjoittajat kopioivat kaavat malleista tai ii) he painoivat kaavat mieleen ja toistivat ne muistista aina kirjoittaessaan uutta asiakirjaa. Mieleenpainamishypoteesi näyttää kokonaisuudessaan vankemmalta, mutta joissakin tapauksissa kaavalauseita näyttää myös kopioidun

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