Gli universali nella storia della linguistica: la lingua perfetta come universale nel pensiero medievale

The interpretative possibilities of the concept of perfect language can be at least the following: (a) universal grammar and principles of being; (b) perfect language as a universal language; (c) description of being, epistemological research. The article deals with those works of the early Middle Ages that consider the origin of language by looking for it, on the one hand, in what was considered the primordial language, but, on the other, in those traits that with modern terms can be considered as principles of universal grammar. It is with the reflection on the language of the medieval period that linguistic reflection assumes above all the character of scientia sermocinalis, that is of the science of discourse distinct from metaphysics: Therefore it establishes a close link with logic, coming to identify itself with this (and precisely for this link it will be ‘rediscovered’ and appreciated by many logicians of the twentieth century).