Final answer:
Printers and publishers are credited with the standardization of spelling and grammar, as they sought to reach a broad audience through printed materials in local languages, leading to the consolidation of various dialects into standardized national languages. the correct answer is a) Printers and publishers
Step-by-step explanation:
Spelling and grammar became standardized by printers and publishers. They played a pivotal role in creating uniform language standards as they sought to reach a broad audience with print media.
As the printing press emerged, it contributed significantly to the standardization of language. Printers and publishers, driven by the capitalist profit motive, aimed to reach the widest possible readership. To appeal to literate commoners, they published material in local languages rather than Latin, which was mainly understood by the elite and the clergy. This initiative helped consolidate various dialects into a single, standardized language used in schooling, law, and other government functions.
Furthermore, the advent of newspapers and magazines, made accessible by advanced printing technologies and cheaper paper, further spread these standardized languages. As the official languages were often the medium of mass-produced publications, primarily from capital cities, people increasingly adopted these vernaculars.
In essence, while monarchs, religious leaders, and scholars all influenced language over time, it was the printers and publishers who most directly led to the standardization of spelling and grammar during the period of their burgeoning industry.