JULIA BUNEMER NOJIRI

This research aims at the complete translation and conceptual analysis of the unfinished treatise De dialectica, attributed to Augustine of Hippo, with a view to investigating his theory of language within the context of his encyclopedic project of the liberal disciplines. Beginning with an examination of the work’s authorship and manuscript tradition, the study proposes a mapping of the philosophical and linguistic issues that run through the text, situating it within the intellectual horizon of the late fourth century. The analysis focuses on Augustine’s definition of dialectic as bene disputandi scientia and on his treatment of signs, words, and the structure of discourse. It is argued that, despite its fragmentary character, the treatise reveals a significant theoretical continuity with Augustine’s thought, functioning as an embryonic text for notions later developed. The translation of the treatise, presented in an appendix alongside the Latin text established by Jan Pinborg, not only fills the gap of Portuguese versions but also constitutes an essential methodological tool for understanding Augustine’s reflection on language, highlighting the role of dialectic as a pathway from corporeal to incorporeal things.