3.3. Sources of Vular Latin

What is the formula "A non B" in the Appendix Probi?

It stands for "Approbated form, not the Vulgar form." The list corrects mistakes (e.g., speculum non speclum). The "B" form represents the actual spoken Vulgar Latin that eventually became the standard in Romance languages.

Why is Petronius' Satyricon a unique source for linguists?

It is one of the few pieces of Roman literature that intentionally uses Vulgar Latin. By mimicking the speech of uneducated characters like Trimalchio, Petronius "recorded" the syntax and slang of the 1st century AD.

How does the Mulomedicina Chironis differ from Classical Latin texts?

It is a technical veterinary manual. Because its goal was practical instruction rather than artistic beauty, it uses a much more simplified, analytic syntax that mirrors the evolution of the spoken language.

What linguistic shift is famously observed in Egeria’s Peregrinatio?

Egeria's diary shows a heavy use of demonstrative pronouns (like ille or ipse) in ways that look like the early ancestors of the definite article ("the"), as well as a shift away from complex case endings toward prepositional phrases.

How do the "Reichenauer Glossen" act as a bridge between Latin and Romance?

Written in the 9th century, they explain difficult Latin words from the Bible using "modern" (early Romance) equivalents. For example, they explain the Latin ictus (blow/strike) with the word colpus (modern French coup / Italian colpo).

Why is Pompeii considered the "holy grail" of Vulgar Latin inscriptions?

Because the city was buried in 79 AD, the graffiti is perfectly preserved and exactly datable. It shows that many "Romance" features (like losing the final -m or changing vowel sounds) were already happening very early in the Empire.

What is "Comparative Reconstruction" as a source?

It is an "internal" source where linguists compare modern Romance languages to reconstruct the spoken Vulgar Latin form that was never written down. These forms are marked with an asterisk (e.g., *passare)