Studia Metrica et Poetica sisu 7_2.indd


 Annika Mikkel, Rütmilised lauselõpud 

14. sajandi ladinakeelsetes ning itaalia 

rahvakeelsetes proosateostes 

(PhD dissertation, 197 pages with Appendix, University of Tartu Press) 

Satu Grünthal*1 

Annika Mikkel’s doctoral thesis, Rütmilised lauselõpud 14. sajandi ladina-

keelsetes ning itaalia rahvakeelsetes proosateostes (Rhythmic clausulae in the 

14th-century Latin and Italian vernacular prose texts), published and defended 

in Estonian, discusses prose rhythm in 14th-century Latin and Italian ver-

nacular (lingua volgare) prose, especially in the works of Dante Alighieri 

(1265−1321). Mikkel uses the comparative-statistical analysis as her research 

method. As a comparative data to the works of Dante, Mikkel also analyses 

texts from other authors, stretching back from the 14th to the 16th century, 

including Giovanni Boccaccio, Franco Sacchetti, Giovanni Villani, Pietro 

Bembo and Niccolò Machiavelli. 

In ancient rhetoric, the term ‘prose rhythm’ was used to indicate rhythmi-

cal units mostly at the end of sentences and clauses, which in classical prose 

were called clausulae. Th e rhythm of classical prose was based on the quantity 

of syllables. Over centuries, the system of clausulae was simplifi ed and word 

stress became signifi cant in addition to quantity. Prose rhythm in which the 

quantity as well as word stress were signifi cant was also called cursus mix-

tus. Th is, in turn, developed into Medieval Latin prose rhythm, called cursus, 

which was purely based on word stress. Th e use of cursus was most popular 

in Latin prose, but it could also be found in medieval Italian prose. In the late 

Middle Ages, four diff erent rhythmic patterns had developed and were in use: 

cursus planus, cursus velox, cursus tardus and cursus trispondaicus. 

Mikkel analyses the types and amounts of cursus that occur in Latin and 

Italian vernacular prose, and she also examines the use of word boundaries 

both in Latin and vernacular cursus. Th e size of data she has used is impressive, 

comprising altogether more than 11,000 clausulae, leaving the reader with no 

doubts about its suffi  ciency. Th e statistical analysis of the data, carried out with 

* Author’s address: Satu Grünthal, University of Helsinki, Siltavuorenpenger 3A – PL 9, 00014, 

Helsinki, Finland; email: satu.grunthal@helsinki.fi .

https://doi.org/10.12697/smp.2020.7.2.08

Studia Metrica et Poetica 7.2, 2020, 178–180



179Annika Mikkel, Rütmilised lauselõpud  

excellent precision, is not only the core of the whole thesis but also Mikkel’s 

most important contribution to Latin and Italian studies. Prose rhythm has so 

far been studied only in the case of Danteʼs and Boccaccioʼs Latin texts, while 
no systematic statistical analysis of them has been conducted in earlier studies. 

All results of the statistical analysis are presented in tables in the appendix.

Mikkel’s doctoral thesis begins with a short introduction, followed by a 

more detailed presentation of the history and development of the cursus as 

well as the theoretical background and the methodology of the study. Th e 

second chapter focuses on Dante’s work, which is the main target of the study, 

and the following chapters discuss the other authors, Boccaccio, Sacchetti, 

Villani, Bembo and Machiavelli. Chapter 8 presents the results of the analysis 

and brings them together in a comparative discussion. Possibilities for later 

studies are also briefl y discussed.

Annika Mikkel’s dissertation is positioned in the strong Estonian tradition 

of rhythmical and metrical studies, where the importance of statistical analysis 

of metre is also prominent. Her statistical analysis of the data comprises four 

stages: a) prosodic analysis, b) input of the prosodic analysis results into a 

database, c) statistical analysis of the data, and d) comparative analysis of the 

data. She also discusses the problems that arise in Latin and Italian vernacular 

prosodic analysis. 

In addition to the Estonian tradition of rhythmical and metrical stud-

ies, Mikkel’s thesis follows a specifi c path among metrical studies in general, 

namely that of prose rhythm studies. According to Mikkel, prose rhythm 

can be studied either in a large or in a more narrow perspective. Th e large 

defi nition of prose rhythm means constructing sentences and their parts in 

a rhythmically harmonic manner, but her own dissertation, which focuses 

on the rhythm of clausulae at the end of linguistic phrases, makes use of the 

more narrow defi nition of the word. She also brings up the question whether 

the use of cursus can be seen as a conscious choice of the author or a random 

incident, or due to the phonological nature of the language. Th rough her sta-

tistical analysis, she succeeds in showing certain author- and work-specifi c 

diff erences in the use of cursus. At least to a certain extent, intentional usage 

of cursus forms can be observed in Dante’s texts, especially in certain chapters 

of diff erent books. Th e fi eld of prose rhythm studies is challenging, and not 

inhabited by many. Although Mikkel’s work concentrates on a very specifi c 

type of prose, it is a welcome contribution to the discussion and development 

of prose rhythm studies as a whole.

Annika Mikkel’s doctoral thesis is an important contribution to the studies 

of Latin and Italian vernacular prose rhythm, and the originality of the study 

lies in its focus, material and method. Th e research hypotheses are presented 



180 Satu Grünthal

clearly, and the results of the large comparative statistical analysis are dis-

cussed in detail. Th e overall structure of the dissertation suits the aims of the 

study well, and the work gives well argued answers to the research questions 

presented at the beginning – partly by raising new interesting questions and 

possibilities for further study. Mikkel’s thesis bibliography comprises research 

on Estonian and international classica l philology and metrical studies until the 

present day and in fi ve diff erent languages: Italian, English, Estonian, French 

and German. Unfortunately, such multilingual and cross-cultural competence, 

which was earlier regarded as a self-evident ability of all new doctors in the 

humanities, can no longer be taken for granted.