Editing Neo-Latin (section)

=== Character of Neo-Latin writing ===
While Latin remained an actively used language, the process of emulating Classical models did not become complete.<ref>See Sidwell, Keith ''Classical Latin – Medieval Latin – Neo Latin''; and Black, Robert ''School'' in {{harvnb|Knight|Tilg|2015|pp=13–26}} and pp. 217–231</ref> For instance, Catholic traditions preserved some features of medieval Latin, given the continued influence of some aspects of medieval theology.<ref>Harris, Jason ''Catholicism'' in {{harvnb|Knight|Tilg|2015|pp=313–328}}</ref> In secular texts, such as scientific, legal and philosophical works, neologisms continued to be needed, so while Neo-Latin authors might choose new formulations, they might also continue to use customary medieval forms, but in either case, could not aim for a purified Classical Latin vocabulary.<ref>Sidwell, Keith ''Classical Latin-Medieval Latin-Neo Latin'' in {{harvnb|Knight|Tilg|2015|pp=13–26}}</ref> Recent study tends to identify a style of Latin that was closer to Classical Latin in grammar, sometimes influenced by vernaculars in syntax especially in more everyday writing, but eclectic in choice of vocabulary and generation of new words.<ref name="Waquet 2001 124–127">{{harvnb|Waquet|2001|pp=124–127}}</ref>

Some authors including [[C. S. Lewis]] have criticised the Neo-Latin and classicising nature of humanistic Latin teaching for creating a dynamic for purification and ossification of Latin, and thus its decline from a more productive medieval background.<ref>Haskell, Yasmin ''Neo-Latin Poets and their Pagan Familiars'', p. 19 in {{harvnb||Moul|2017}}</ref>  Modern Neo-Latin scholars tend to reject this, as for instance word formation and even medieval uses continued; but some see a kernel of truth, in that the standards of Latin were set very high, making it hard to achieve the necessary confidence to use Latin.<ref>{{harvnb|Leonhardt|2009|p=229}}</ref> In any case, other factors are certainly at play, particularly the widening of education and its needs to address many more practical areas of knowledge, many of which were being written about for national audiences in the vernacular.<ref>{{harvnb|Tunberg|2012|pp=91–93}}</ref>