Final answer:
The printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg, was instrumental in standardizing languages by making printed materials accessible in vernacular languages, thereby fostering a common linguistic identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg helped spread and standardize language. This innovation not only revolutionized the production of books, making them more accessible and affordable, but also played a crucial role in the diffusion of information and ideas, aiding the formation of standardized languages within nation-states. Prior to the printing press, local dialects flourished, but the ability to print texts in a common vernacular — often that of the capital — allowed more people to read and write in a uniform language, effectively reducing linguistic diversity and reinforcing the standard language of a region.
Over time, newspapers and other printed media contributed to the defined language that served the administrative needs of emerging nation-states. Educational systems, law, government bureaucracy, and political campaigns benefited from the widespread adoption of a standardized language, which further unified diverse populations.
Gutenberg's use of metal movable-type technology enabled the replication of texts in the vernacular, challenging the dominance of Latin and reaching a wider, literate audience hungry for knowledge and news. Thus, the printing press was integral in forming what Benedict Anderson calls the 'imagined community' of the modern nation-state by fostering a shared linguistic and cultural identity.