latin

1 Among learned sections of society, Latin still served as a lingua franca in 1600. Scholars frequently corresponded in Latin, much theology, philosophy and science was published in Latin, and, of course, for Catholics throughout Europe, Latin was the language of worship. Change was nevertheless in the air as modern languages advanced at the expense of Latin. In literature, most poetry, prose and plays were in vernacular languages by 1600, and even other printed works were showing the same trend. In Paris, about 30 per cent of books printed between 1601 and 1605 were in Latin, but by 1700 the figured had declined to under 10 per cent.