Bi- and multilingualism are of great interest for contemporary linguists since this phenomenon deeply reflects on language acquisition, language use, and sociolinguistic conditions in many different circumstances all over the world. Multilingualism was, however, certainly rather common already, if not especially, in the premodern world. For some time now, research has started to explore this issue through a number of specialized studies. The present volume continues with the investigation of multilingualism through a collection of case studies focusing on important examples in medieval and early modern societies, that is, in linguistic and cultural contact zones, such as England, Spain, the Holy Land, but also the New World. As all contributors confirm, the numerous cases of multilingualism discussed here indicate strongly that the premodern period knew considerably less barriers between people of different social classes, cultural background, and religious orientation. But we also have to acknowledge that already then human communication could fail because of linguistic hurdles which prevented mutual understanding in religious and cultural terms.

An investigation into the connections between the York Plays, religious observance, and the role played by the city itself.

Investigating the complex interactions between devotional imagery and Church doctrine in the Low Countries during the fifteenth century, this book demonstrates how the pictorial arts intersected with popular religious practice. The author reconstructs the conceptual frameworks underlying the use and production of religious art in this period and provides a more nuanced understanding of the use of images in the process of soul formation. This study delves into the complexity of the early modern system of personal justification and argues that religious images and objects were part of a larger 'Technology of Salvation.' In order to make these connections clearer, the author analyzes selected works by Geertgen tot Sint Jans (Little Gerard at St. John's) and shows how they functioned within their larger social and historical milieu.

Algeria is the biggest country in Africa and is located on the continent's northeastern coast, bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The country shares its borders with Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Western Sahara, and Morocco. Algeria's population is around 42 million, with Arab and Berber ethnicities making up the majority of the population. The official languages of Algeria are Arabic and Berber, and French is widely spoken. Algeria is a country rich in history and culture, with influences from its diverse past, including Berber, Islamic, Ottoman, and French colonization. It gained independence from France on July 5, 1962, after a long and brutal war that lasted eight years. Today, Algeria is an upper-middle-income country with a mixed economy that relies heavily on its vast oil and natural gas reserves, making it the largest exporter of natural gas to Europe. Despite its economic strength, Algeria faces several challenges, including high unemployment, insufficient housing, and political instability.