Il “De vulgari eloquentia” nel Cinquecento italiano e francese

Abstract

The editio princeps of Dante’s De vulgari eloquentia was published by Jacopo Corbinelli in Paris in 1577. Previously some ideas of Dante’s treatise could have influenced the mid-16th century debate on constructing a French illustrious vernacular. Was this possible influence exerted directly or through the mediation of the contemporaneous Italian debate on language? And how was Corbinelli’s edition received in the French milieu of the end of 16th century? In order to attempt to answer these questions, firstly I will recall the place of De vulgari eloquentia in the Italian language question in the first half of the Cinquecento. Secondly, I will explore the hypothesis of the influence of the De vulgari eloquentia on the mid-16th century French debate on the illustrious vernacular. Finally, I will focus on Corbinelli’s edition and on its French reception.