Modi significandi in Johannes Glogoviensis’ grammar

Abstract

Johannes Glogoviensis (1445-1507) was one of the renowned professors of liberal arts at the Jagellonian University. He taught mandatory courses on Aelius Donatus’ Ars minor and on the Second Part of Alexander de Villa Dei’s Doctrinale1. The two were firmly established as the basic university grammar textbooks containing morphology and syntax, respectively. Glogoviensis’ commentaries on the subject: Declaratio Donati minoris2, and Exercitium secundae partis Alexandri had numerous printed editions starting from 1500 and were popular with masters and students at Cracow3. Both books, set in the form of quaestiones, took a modist approach to grammatical issues. In this way Glogoviensis continued the tradition of modi significandi which flourished in Cracow from the mid-15th century until the end of the 1520s. The University of Cracow became the center of that doctrine’s revival4. Its durability and influence deserves continued research to attain a better insight into the specifically Polish tradition of speculative grammar. The study of Glogoviensis’ works is important for that kind of research.