italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
that's a nice find. Thanks a million for your time and work.
ut
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Dr. Umberto Taccheri
Dept. of Modern Languages
104 South Regina Hall
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5001
Tel.(574) 284-5385
Fax (574) 284-4111
Internet [log in to unmask]
-----------------------------------------------
On Mon, 24 Feb 2003, James McMenamin wrote:
> italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
>
> Umberto,
>
> In regards to your "messere" question, I refer you to Santagata's
> introduction to the Canzoniere in which he writes:
>
> "'Messere' (mes sire, mio signore) nel Duecento era un titolo onorifico
> attribuito ai giuristi, ai giudici e ai notai e poi esteso a persone di
> riguardo. Nella corrispondenza in versi a lui diretta Cino e' quasi sempre
> chiamato 'messere', 'ser' o 'sire'. Dante nelle sue rime riserva
> l'appellativo al notaio Brunetto Latini e, appunto, a Cino (Perch'io non
> trovo 12; Io mi credea 2). Anche se in altri ambiti letterari o discorsivi
> 'messere' puo' essere titolo ironico o semplicemente di riguardo (a
> cominciare da 'messor lo frate sole' del Cantico di san Francesco), nella
> lirica profona ducentesca il suo uso appare appropriato e pertinente. Nel
> Trecento, invece, quel titolo e' ormai un normale equivalente del nostro
> 'signore' (per sincerarsene e' sufficiente uno sguardo alle cronache o al
> Decameron). Se allora Petrarca ne insignisce Cino, e solo lui, e' perche'
> nella memoria storica la figura del poeta di Pistoia si era
> inestricabilmente congiunta a quella del legista e cio' aveva creato una
> sorta di automatismo per cui Cino era 'messer' allo stesso modo che Marino
> sarebbe stato nei secoli il 'Cavalier Marino'. Ma e' anche vero che sull'uso
> petrarchesco di quel titolo sembra stesa una patina arcaizzante: cio' che
> era normale per Dante ha l'aria del recupero di una convenzione
> sclerotizzata per Petrarca" (pp. xiv-xv). (F. Petrarca, Canzoniere, a cura
> di Marco Santagata, Mondadori 'I Meridiani', Milano, 1997).
>
> As you can see, all three titles ("messere", "ser" and "sire") have been
> used to refer to Cino. I do not think there is any significant difference
> between the three.
>
> I would get my hands on Santagata's introduction to get a better feel for
> the contest of this citation. It wouldn't hurt to check out Santagata's
> other works for he may have analyzed this problem elsewhere.
>
> Buona lettura!
>
> -Jimmy Mc
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Umberto Taccheri" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 3:09 PM
> Subject: Query: ser / messere
>
>
> > italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
> >
> > Dear all,
> > I know that "ser" was used in the Italian Middle Ages as a title
> > for notaries and priests (ser Brunetto in Dante, Ser Ciappelletto in
> > Boccaccio...). It seems to me that "messere" was used more widely, as a
> > generic title of distinction. Am I correct in my assumption? Is anybody
> > able to shed some light or provide some bibliographic references with
> > regard to the eventual differences in the use of these two terms?
> >
> > Many thanks in advance,
> >
> > Umberto Taccheri
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------
> > Dr. Umberto Taccheri
> > Dept. of Modern Languages
> > 104 South Regina Hall
> > Saint Mary's College
> > Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5001
> >
> > Tel.(574) 284-5385
> > Fax (574) 284-4111
> > Internet [log in to unmask]
> > -----------------------------------------------
> >
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