Språklig variation i Nådendal: En jämförande undersökning av språkbruk i textvittnen av två brev från Nådendals kloster

In this paper, two charters from the late Middle Ages have been studied. The charters exist both as an original version written on parchment and as a slightly younger copy written on paper. The original charters are DF 3909 from 1482 and DF 4136 from 1487, both written in the Birgittine monastery of Nådendal in Finland. The first copy seems to be written during the period 1490–1530, whereas the other copy seems to be from the same time as the original. The aim of this paper has been to study the changes made by the scribe or scribes from the original to the copy in the charters. The results tend to show systematic changes from a more archaic language in the originals to a more modern language form in the copies. Mostly, the changes in the data take place in orthography, abbreviations, use of majuscules and minuscules as well as in forms of personal names. The cautious conclusions of the study are that the changes between the original and the copy may be stylistical, i.e. they represent
a change in the degree of formality. Thus, it seems like the scribe or scribes of the copies follow the same, more modern, norm. However, more data would be needed in order to draw more definite conclusions.