On Thursday, September 15 at 5 p.m. Museo Galileo is pleased to host the launch of Giuseppe Patota's book L'universo in italiano. La lingua degli scritti copernicani di Galileo (The universe in Italian, The language of Galileo's Copernican writings).
The volume, published by il Mulino, will be presented by Massimo Bucciantini and Franco Giudice.
Celebrated as an unequalled example in the universal history of science, in the world of linguistic studies Galileo is also considered the forerunner of a fully mature Italian language of science. Many aspects of his language, however, have yet to be investigated, and almost all admired judgments of his prose are not supported by a timely and systematic analysis of the forms, words and structures that converge to define it. This aims to help fill that gap by exploring some aspects of the language and style of Galileo's so-called "Copernican writings," which played a crucial role in the elaboration of his thought. After analysing in detail the language of the "Letter to Benedetto Castelli," dated Dec. 21, 1613, the author dwells on several aspects of the syntax and textuality of the "Letter to Christina of Lorraine," and finally proposes an unpublished interpretation of the so-called "Considerations on the Copernican Opinion."
Giuseppe Patota teaches Italian Linguistics at the University of Siena and is currently seconded to the Accademia dei Lincei for a research project on Galileo’s language.
Free admission.
-
Useful links
- Publisher il Mulino (in Italian)