Digital Latin Dialectology (DiLaDi): Tracing Linguistic Variation in the Light of Ancient and Early Medieval Sources

DiLaDi is an interdisciplinary project that aims to perform a novel comprehensive study on the variation of the Latin Language over the 1st millennium A.D. considering the geographical and chronological perspectives as well as the transition from Latin to Romance by processing and analysing textual errors (deviations from the norm) of ancient and early medieval primary documents with the help of the Computerized Historical Linguistic Database of Latin Inscriptions of the Imperial Age (LLDB) that employs a revolutionary method of data analysis.DiLaDi aims to give a breakthrough impetus to relevant research by involving a group of sources that have so far not been adequately considered in research: original parchment charters of private law from mostly the 7th-8th centuries, that are available in large numbers and are very rich in data reflecting linguistic changes, the involvement of which could open up further perspectives for the research of history and dialectology of late Latin based on working with a Database which has so far relied mainly on inscriptions.

The project plan will be implemented by a 10-person research group with the help of a large data collection team in international collaboration.

Within the project framework, at least 50,000 new data forms will be added to the unique LLDB Database, while results will be disseminated through the organisation of 5 international workshops, the delivery of at least 50 lectures, and the publication of 50 studies and 1 monograph; at the same time, potential future collaborators will be educated in at least 5 university courses, while the scientific advancement of the participating researchers will be ensured by the submission of 3 PhD theses and 1 habilitation thesis.

As a result, this research will allow for a better understanding of the processes that led to the development of Romance languages and determined the linguistic, ethnic, and even cultural features of medieval and modern Europe.