Ucrainica at Harvard
The Ukrainian Research Institute's 25th-Anniversary Exhibition at Houghton Library, Harvard University
40. Meletii Smotryts'kyi (1577-1633)
Moscow, 1648.
Hrammatika slavianskaia
(Slavonic Grammar)
Smotryts'kyi's Grammar, based on Byzantine Greek and Latin models, especially those of Melanchthon, became the standard for Church Slavonic not only in Ruthenia, but Russia, Serbia, Croatia, and Romania as well. While intended as a handbook of normative Church Slavonic, the Grammar betrays the Ruthenian background of the author. First published by Smotryts'kyi in 1619 in Vievis (Jevje), Lithuania as Gramatiki slavenskiia pravilnoe syntagma (The Correct Structure of Slavonic Grammar). The preface includes passages attributed to Maximus the Greek. The grammar ends with an excursus on prosody and metrics. This slightly revised edition of 1648 was published anonymously in Moscow. The influence of Smotryts'kyi's work extended well into the eighteenth century and was openly acknowledged by Lomonsosov.
Gift of the Ukrainian Studies Fund, November-December 1975. From the Library of Sergei Diaghilev and Sergei Lifar.
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