letrare

Letrar e is a historical term used in several Romance languages to designate the act or discipline of teaching and acquiring literacy, or the study of literature and the liberal arts known as the "letters." The word stems from Latin littera, meaning a written character or letter. In modern usage, letrare is largely archaic or regional, and appears most often in historical texts, dictionaries, or philological discussions.

Historically, letrare referred to pedagogical practices centered on reading, writing, grammar, and rhetoric as part of education in the "letters" rather than the sciences. It was linked to the liberal arts curriculum and to humanist approaches that emphasized Latin and classical literature. In this sense, letrare captured both the skills of literacy and the scholarly study of literature and language.

In contemporary Romance languages, the exact verb forms and usage of letrar/e are uncommon in standard speech. Spanish and Portuguese favor letrar for spelling or literacy-related activity and alfabetización for general literacy education, while Italian uses letterare or letrare primarily in older, regional, or scholarly contexts. The noun letrado or letterato denotes a literate person, reflecting the traditional association between education and cultural refinement.

In academic contexts, letrare is discussed as part of the history of education, pedagogy, and philology, illustrating how societies organized access to reading, writing, and literary culture. See also: literacy, history of education, humanism, alphabet.