On the role of the Novgorod tradition of Latin translations in the history of Russian language and culture: Lexical borrowings and unconscious fragments

Abstract

The Latin influence upon Old Russian language and culture can be detected and studied at different levels (lexical, syntactical and phraseological). In addition to shortly discussing the different fates, on Russian soil, of two etymologically related words, biblija and biblioteka, this paper presents the particular case of an aphoristic quotation taken from the introduction to the Slavic translation of the Donatus. This proposal, pointing to the fundamental position of grammar within the system of the seven liberal arts (основание и подошва всем свободным хитростям — origo et fundamentum omnium liberalium artium), in later centuries has been referred to in different scientific works devoted to grammatical or pedagogical issues. However, there has not been any direct reference to the primary source and, as a consequence, these words have been subjected to different interpretations: from Maximus the Greek’s translation activity in Russia to the orthodox response to the challenge posed by Jesuit schools. The material collected and briefly discussed in the article points once again to the importance of taking into account, when approaching the tradition of Novgorod translations from Latin, not only the identification of the Urtext (direct tradition), but also its later reception and individual history (indirect tradition). Going beyond the temporal and spatial boundaries of Novgorod translated literature, we can examine its relevant and partially still unknown contribution to Russian cultural history within a broader and more stimulating perspective.