Elements of Modernity in Written Communication in Transylvania: A Private Letter from the 16th Century
Elements of Modernity in Written Communication in Transylvania: A Private Letter from the 16th Century

Summary/Abstract: The early use of vernacular in writing remains a challenging, insufficiently investigated topic in Romanian historiography (or for the current Romanian space). Transylvania, in particular, lends itself to this kind of research. Modernity is also characterized by the abandonment of the languages of culture in favor of national languages in written communication. Therefore, the present study proposes a discussion concerning the written vernacular in Transylvania, analyzing a private letter from the 16th century, written in Hungarian. This letter, from a son to his mother, reveals more than just the simple intimate universe: the writing allows us to approach several more complex aspects pertaining to the Transylvanian society in the century of transition from the voivodship to the principality, touching upon political life, the educational horizon, and more.

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