The Golden Mean of Languages: Forging Dutch and French in the Early Modern Low Countries (1540-1620)

439 Pages·2019·4.985 MB·

by  Alisa Van de Haar

The Golden Mean of Languages
Brill’s Studies in
Intellectual History
General Editor
Han van Ruler (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
Founded by
Arjo Vanderjagt
Editorial Board
C. S. Celenza (Georgetown University, Washington DC)
M. Colish (Yale University, New Haven)
J. I. Israel (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton)
A. Koba (University of Tokyo)
M. Mugnai (Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa)
W. Otten (University of Chicago)
volume 305
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/bsih
The Golden Mean of
Languages
Forging Dutch and French in the Early Modern
Low Countries (1540–1620)
By
Alisa van de Haar
LEIDEN | BOSTON
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Haar, Alisa van de, author.
Title: The golden mean of languages : forging Dutch and French in the early
 modern low countries (1540–1620) / Alisa van de Haar.
Description: Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2019. | Series: Brill’s studies in
 intellectual history, 0920-8607 ; 305 | Based on the author’s thesis
 (doctoral)—Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, 2018. | Includes
 bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019023649 (print) | LCCN 2019023650 (ebook) |
 ISBN 9789004355217 (hardback) | ISBN 9789004408593 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Multilingualism—Netherlands—History—16th century. |
 Languages in contact—Netherlands—History—16th century. |
 Dutch language—History—16th century. |
 French language—Netherlands—History—16th century.
Classification: LCC P115.5.N47 H23 2019 (print) | LCC P115.5.N47 (ebook)
 | DDC 306.44/609492—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019023649
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019023650
Typeface for the Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic scripts: “Brill”. See and download: brill.com/brill-typeface.
ISSN 0920-8607
ISBN 978-90-04-35521-7 (hardback)
ISBN 978-90-04-40859-3 (e-book)
Copyright 2019 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Contents
Acknowledgements ix
List of Illustrations x
Note to the Reader xi
Prologue xii
1 Introduction: Fascinating Multilingualism 1
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Illustration, Purification, Construction, Standardization 1
1.2 Multilingual Research Axis 8
1.3 Debate 11
1.4 Language Fascination and Interconnectedness 13
2 Scope and Definitions 16
2.1 Periodization 17
2.2 The Low Countries 20
2.3 Languages 21
3 Methods and Sources 25
3.1 Approaching Metalinguistic Discussions 26
3.2 Lieux 27
3.3 Sources 31
4 Outline 34
2 The Multilingual Low Countries 38
1 Introduction 38
1.1 Preludes to the Discussions 40
1.2 Context: 1540–1620 44
1.3 Dutch and French 47
2 Ruling Languages 53
2.1 Administration 53
2.2 Jurisdiction 58
2.3 The Court and Aristocracy 62
3 The Languages of the Muses 68
3.1 Literary Languages 69
3.2 Music 72
3.3 Academia and the Artes 76
4 International Communication 80
4.1 Trade 80
4.2 Diplomacy and the Army 87
5 Conclusions 91
vi Contents
3 Trending Topics in European Language Reflection 93
1 Introduction 93
1.1 After Babel 95
1.2 Monolingual and Multilingual Solutions 98
2 Latin and the Vernacular 104
2.1 Issues with Latin 105
2.2 The Latin Paradigm 108
3 Collecting, Comparing, Competing 110
3.1 Collection Mania 111
3.2 Comparison and Genealogy 113
3.3 Patria and Competition 118
4 Building the Vernacular 122
4.1 Two Translation Methods 122
4.2 Orthographic Quarrels 125
5 Purity and Eloquence 130
5.1 French: Moderate Stances 131
5.2 English: Smelly Words 133
5.3 German: Fruit-Bearing Discussions 135
5.4 Escume, Schuym, Schaum, Spuma, Scum 137
6 Conclusions 141
4 French Schools 143
1 Introduction 143
1.1 Teaching Languages, Teaching Language Reflection 145
1.2 Peeter Heyns 149
2 Defending Language Learning 157
2.1 Valorising Plurilingualism 157
2.2 Defending the Patria 161
3 Making and Teaching the Rules 164
3.1 Traditional French Spelling 165
3.2 Innovating Dutch Spelling 170
3.3 Heyns’s Exceptional Grammar 176
4 Teaching Purity and Eloquence 178
4.1 Trivial Loanwords 179
4.2 Dictionaries: Expanding and Correcting Vocabularies 182
4.3 Translating Style, Translation Styles 188
5 Conclusions 191
Contents vii
5 Calvinist Churches 194
1 Introduction 194
1.1 Cohesion across Languages 196
1.2 Philips of Marnix, Lord of Sainte-Aldegonde 198
2 Translating Psalms, Building Communities 206
2.1 Calvinism and the Psalms 208
2.2 Utenhove: Unifying Dutch 210
2.3 Datheen: Equalizing French and Dutch 214
3 Undoing Babel in Marnix’s Psalms 220
3.1 Uniting French, Dutch, and Hebrew 221
3.2 Stressing Word Stress 231
3.3 Bilingual Harmony 234
4 Dangerous Mixtures 236
4.1 Satirical Mixing in the Biënkorf and the Tableav 238
4.2 Criticizing Catholic Language 242
5 Conclusions 245
6 Printing Houses 247
1 Introduction 247
1.1 Supplying Languages to the Market 249
1.2 Christophe Plantin 251
2 Printing for the Patria 257
2.1 Language Competition 258
2.2 Loanwords, Sales Strategies, and Patriotism 261
3 Orthography: A Storm in a Teacup? 264
3.1 The Non-issue of Spelling 266
3.2 Plantin and the French Querelle 268
4 Engaging the Public 274
4.1 Stimulating Collecting 275
4.2 Enabling Observation and Reflection 277
5 Conclusions 282
7 Chambers of Rhetoric 283
1 Introduction 283
1.1 Multilingual Roots 286
1.2 Peeter Heyns 290
2 The Perks of Plurilingualism 296
2.1 Dutch First, Plurilingualism Second 296
2.2 Language Competition 298
viii Contents
3 Studying the Vernacular 303
3.1 Theory and Practice 303
3.2 Between Rhetoric and Language Study: Enargie 309
4 The Rules of Dutch Poetry 312
4.1 Orthographical Awareness 313
4.2 Critical Stances on Loanwords 317
4.3 Innovative Metre 325
5 Conclusions 328
8 Conclusions 330
Bibliography 339
Index 415
Acknowledgements
Writing this book would have been impossible without the encouragement,
advice, and help of a great number of people. First and foremost, my gratitude
is due to my supervisors Bart Ramakers, Paul J. Smith, and Arjan van Dixhoorn.
Each of them in his own way provided invaluable guidance. They prevented
me from making many painful mistakes, and I alone am to blame for the ones
that undoubtedly still remain.
I am also very grateful to all those who read chapters and provided me with
insightful comments: Wout van Bekkum, Jeroen Benders, Wendy Bennett,
Klaas van Berkel, Bill Burgwinkle, Peter Burke, Raingard Esser, Sietske Fransen,
Willem Frijhoff, John Gallagher, Dirk Geirnaert, Thomas Godard, Femke
Hemelaar, August den Hollander, Elsa Kammerer, Kees Meerhoff, Hubert
Meeus, Marijke Meijer Drees, Pierre Swiggers, Toon Van Hal, Marijke van
der Wal, and Joanne van der Woude. I would like to thank the anonymous
reviewers for their excellent comments and suggestions, and Brill’s editors for
their help.
This book was written as part of a doctoral research project that was funded
by the programme for PhDs in the Humanities of the Netherlands Organisation
for Scientific Research (NWO). Additional funding to spend a term at King’s
College, University of Cambridge was generously furnished by the European
Cooperation in Science and Technology, in the form of COST Action IS1301
‘New Communities of Interpretation: Contexts, Strategies and Processes of
Religious Transformation in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe’, led by
Sabrina Corbellini. My participation in the Van Gogh–Hubert Curien project
‘Orateurs et rhétoriciens : agir et former par la parole publique au seuil de
l’Europe moderne (Pays-Bas/France, XVe–XVIe siècle)’, funded by the Nuffic
and the French Ministry of Education and led by Katell Lavéant and Estelle
Doudet, was another great stimulus for my research.
Finally, writing this book relied on a steady supply of tea, chocolate, and
cake, and I want to thank to all those who provided these.
Alisa van de Haar
Groningen, 25 March 2019
Illustrations
1 Map of the Low Countries, based on: De Bosatlas van de geschiedenis van Neder-
land. Groningen: Noordhoff Atlasproducties, 2011, 189 41
2 P. Galle, after design by Maarten van Heemskerck. The Tower of Babel. Engrav-
ing, 142 mm × 202 mm. Haarlem, 1569. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 97
3 E. Brinck, Album amicorum. The Hague, Royal Library, 135 K 4, fols. 7v–8r 112
4 F. Imperato, Dell’historia natvrale di Ferrante Imperato napolitano libri XXVIII.
Naples: Constantino Vitale, 1599, sigs. A3v–A4r. The Hague, Royal Library, KW
758 A 15 114
5 P. Heyns, Le miroir dv monde, redvict premierement en rithme Brabançonne par
M. P. Heyns ; Et maintenant tourné en prose Françoise […]. Antwerp: Christophe
Plantin, 1579, fols. 19v–20v. Erfgoedbibliotheek Hendrik Conscience, Antwerp,
collection Stad Antwerpen, K 10122 153
6 J. Lambrecht, Néderlandsche Spellijnghe, uutghesteld by vrághɇ endɇ andwoorde.
Ghent: [Joos Lambrecht], 1550, sig. A6r. Ghent University, BIB.G.000196 173
7 G. Luython, La merueilleuse et ioyeuse vie de Esope […]. Dat wonderlijck ende
genuechlijck leuen van Esopus […]. Antwerp: Gregorius de Bonte, 1548, fol. 5r.
The Hague, Royal Library, KW 1702 C 1 190
8 P. Datheen, Alle de Psalmen Dauids. Ende andere Lofsanghen wt den Fran-
soyschen dichte int Nederduytsch ouerghesett. Ghent: Ghileyn Manilius, 1566,
sigs. T1v–T2r. Ghent University, BHSL.RES.0520/1 217
9 T. Beza, P. Datheen, & C. Marot. Les pseavmes de David, mis en rime francoise par
Cl. Marot, & Th. de Beze. Psalmen Davids, Wt den Fransoyschen dichte in Neder-
lantschen overgeset. Door Petrvm Dathenvm. Franeker: Gillis van den Rade for
Jean Commelin, 1594, sigs. A2v–A3r. University Library Amsterdam, University
of Amsterdam, OTM: OK 62–9738 219
10 P. of Marnix of Sainte-Aldegonde, Het boeck der Psalmen. Middelburg: Richard
Schilders, 1591, sigs. N5v–N6r. University Library Amsterdam, University of
Amsterdam, OTM: OK 64–938 230
11 Dictionarivm tetraglotton sev voces Latinae omnes, et Græcæ eis respondentes,
cum Gallica & Teutonica (quam passim Flandricam vocant) earum interpreta-
tione. Christophe Plantin, 1562, sig. A1r. University Library Amsterdam, Univer-
sity of Amsterdam, OTM: O 60–1085 278
12 M. de Castelein, De const van rhetoriken. Ghent: Jan Cauweel, 1555, 4–5. Ghent
University, BIB.G.000235 315
13 Rederijck-kunst, in Rijm opt kortst vervat. Hier by ghevoeght de redenkaveling ende
letter-kunsts grondvesten. Amsterdam: Franciscus Raphelengius, 1587, 5. Univer-
sity Library Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, OTM: OK 80–379 (1) 321