this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2024
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Fun fact: People could commonly read in the Middle Ages.
There is wide spread belief that medieval Europeans could read and write, but most peasants could read and right in their VERNACULAR languages. The idea that only 10% of the population could read and write comes from that fact that only 10% of the population could read LATIN, which is the only reading that they thought mattered.
They weren’t wrong to think this too. Latin was one of the only standardized languages due to its use by the church. Vernacular languages varied very widely from place to place, such that it was very common that two peasants from neighboring towns or regions would not be able to understand each other, even if they could read and write some form of “German”.
Most peasant would then be able to read and write their own notes and records, but probably wouldn’t be able to sent letters to next town or read any books.
Bro what?! You have a source? This is very interesting
One example that I mentioned below are letters written on birch bark that were found in several places in Russia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch_bark_manuscript#Old_Slavonic_script. I'm not an expert but from the contents it seems like at least some of the authors were commoners.
This is neat. Thanks. You also put right instead of write, but just once