Lexical gleanings from Lodovico Ariosto's letters from Garfagnana

Abstract

The article investigates the lexicon employed by Ludovico Ariosto in the 157 letters sent from Garfagnana between 1522 and 1525 as commissary of the Este province. The letters, which have a non-literary status, are written by the poet-functionary with practical and informative purposes and are characterized by the adoption of the coeval chancery and diplomatic register, which can be measured primarily through the observation of lexical uses. The contribution thus proposes a reasoned review of a selection of words and expressions found in Garfagnana letters, distinguished into bureaucratic-administrative and political-diplomatic lexicon, juridical technicalities, military lexicon, Latin words and formulas. Finally, the study considers the weight of the expressive component, noting the presence of familiar and colloquial flavor voices and expressions, proverbial formulas, similes, expressive metaphors and lexical series.