Communication at the Abbey of St. Gall

Monastic culture at the Abbey of St. Gall, traditionally viewed as highly literate, relied on a diverse and sophisticated range of communicative practices that went beyond written media. This volume challenges the perception that oral communication was secondary to literacy in medieval monastic settings, demonstrating instead that monks and nuns frequently used spoken word as a vital complement to other forms of communication for exchanging information. The research compiles five thematic chapters that explore the contexts in which oral communication played a crucial role, revealing its complexity and significance in monastic practices during the central Middle Ages.

Althoff, G. (2011). Communication at the Abbey of St. Gall. Understanding Monastic Practices of Oral Communication, 11–22. https://doi.org/10.1484/m.usml-eb.3.4954