The Babel of Languages: Interpreters, Notaries, Administrators in the Genoese Black Sea (14th–15th Century)

An aspect not frequently highlighted in the experience of the officials sent to administer the Genoese settlements in the Black Sea is that of language difficulties. Administrators and notaries had to deal with a much more complex situation than those to which they were accustomed in the Mediterranean, due to the presence of individuals who spoke languages of which they had had no previous experience. The frequent presence of interpreters confirms the need to address problems of mutual comprehension that could generate far-reaching problems. The intervention will focus on some examples of this situation attested in the documents.