Literacy and written culture in early modern Central Europe

"The goal of this book is to examine the gradual spread of literacy and written culture among the peasants, market town burghers, the landed gentry and the landless and impoverished nobles in Central Europe from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. In addition, the book explores the role written documents played in the lives of the members of these social strata, who represented the great majority of the population in early modern times." "Literacy and Written Culture in Early Modern Central Europe is a lively and stimulating guide providing fascinating insights into village life, legal and administrative issues, and the role of the clergy. Its overall content contributes to major debates in the fields of language, literacy, linguistics and social history."--Jacket.