Variance typographique et évolution linguistique*: analyse de la ponctuation dans cinq traditions textuelles imprimées au XVIe siècle

This article deals with the evolution of punctuation in printed books throughout the sixteenth century. It is based on a corpus of successive editions of five texts (unrhymed chivalric stories and mystery plays). The study shows that editors who prepared printed books in the beginning of the century punctuated like medieval scribes. The editions made after 1540 are more grammatically and regularly punctuated. This work seeks to reveal all the reasons that could explain new punctuation practices: development of printing techniques, readers’ habits, linguistic evolution, and desire to show the hierarchical structures of language.