On Erasmus of Rotterdam philological and pedagogical heritage

Abstract

   Reflection of Erasmus of Rotterdam heritage in the literature on history of linguistics is under consideration. Mentioning Erasmus’s 1513 syntactic work based on Donatus’s grammar in the book “Introduction to theoretical linguistics” by John Lyons has made the starting point for the present study. The author has not yet been able to find any other information about that essay (as well as the essay itself). In the Russian academic literature on the history of linguistics. there are almost no references to Erasmus. One might assume that Lyons was referring to some other work by Erasmus – perhaps created during the English period of the humanist’s work. The author briefly discusses two treatises by Erasmus written in England, namely, “De copia verborum ac rerum” and “De ratione studii”. In the second treatise that is on teaching of philology Erasmus recommends to the reader among the ancient sources the grammar of Donatus. It cannot be precluded that Lyons meant that very treatise.