Learning Latin and Greek in medieval Wales: textual strategies, glossing practices, and language pedagogy in the <i>Liber Commonei</i>

Abstract This paper investigates the extent and modalities of Latin and Greek teaching in early medieval British monastic communities by examining the indirect evidence offered by the manuscript known as the Liber Commonei , part of the composite manuscript Oxford Bodleian Auct. F.4.32. Using the patterns and nature of Latin and Old Welsh glosses as they appear in the manuscript, it is argued that, as expected, the monks would learn Classical Latin with the aid of Vulgar Latin and vernacular glosses and that they would tackle texts of a gradually higher complexity, conversely reducing their reliance on glosses. They would then proceed to learn Greek, using biblical excerpts (in Greek and in Latin script) as reference material; by analysing these texts, it is argued here that these British monks in the 9th century worked with the help of a Greek-speaking teacher.