ABSTRACT
The field of study of medieval literacy and communication, which is the main subject of the present inquiry, has been defined several times in scholarly literature. 1 Suffice it to remind the reader that it embraces both the entire life of written texts (their making, using and keeping) and the study of the literacy skills (or lack thereof) of the creators and users of written texts. In addition, there is an interest in the attitudes towards the written word, the changes that the use of writing inspired in the organisation of society and in the mental equipment of individuals. It is clear that the balanced evaluation of the importance and functions of the written word require a broad perspective that includes other forms of communication, such as word of mouth, sounds, images, gestures, colours, ceremonial behaviour, and so on. The field of research at this stage understandably demands a multi- or transdisciplinary approach, involving as it does many domains of the humanities and social sciences. The study of literacy and communication can be seen as a meta-discipline, fitting in no single academic niche and being nobody’s property. 2
