Rolf Bergmann, Claudine Moulin, Nikolaus Ruge
Alt- und Mittelhochdeutsch
Arbeitsbuch zur Grammatik der älteren deutschen Sprachstufen und zur deutschen Sprachgeschichte
Unter Mitarbeit von Natalia Filatkina, Falko Klaes und Andrea Rapp
8. Edition 2011
249 pages
ISBN 978-3-8252-3534-5
V&R UTB
plus S&H
Book
This workbook by Rolf Bergmann, Claudine Moulin and Nicolaus Ruge is dedicated to the two oldest stages in the history of the German language – Old and Middle High German. It is a complete revised version of the classic volume by Bermann and Pauly. Using selected historical texts, this volume explains both the grammatical features present at a specific point in time in the history of German as well as the entire development of the language to provide the reader with a better understanding of more recent changes. It also addresses the questions of when and how people began the transition from writing texts in Latin to writing them in the German dialects of the Middle Ages as well as who the authors of such texts were and who their readers. This workbook further seeks to answer the question concerning the source of German and the historical background for modern dialects. It includes many practical references for deciphering old texts with the help of modern dictionaries and grammars.
This volume was conceived as a textbook that can be employed in courses along the lines of “Introduction to Historical Linguistics” as well as in introductory seminars since it does not presuppose previous knowledge. It is modularly and dynamically structured and fits the needs of modern Bachelor studies.
Of particular value are the exercises with key that follow at the end of each section, and the tables that offer an overview of the most important points from each chapter.
Also included with this workbook is a proprietary electronic tool in the form of a download or a smartphone app that expands on the contents of the book and allows a new level of self-study of the older stages of the German language.