Grammar and Lexis

This chapter has four sections, ‘Sounds and spelling’ (i.e. phonology and orthography), ‘Inflectional morphology’, ‘Syntax’, and ‘Lexis’ (the last of these covers word formation, borrowing, and vocabulary with meanings peculiar to the period such as dienest, êre, minne, ritter, vrouwe). In each section there is a summary of the main points, followed by detailed advanced paragraphs. The summaries serve as a stand-alone introductory grammar designed to help readers gain a reading knowledge of MHG as quickly as possible, which they can try out on the two introductory texts in Chapter 5. The detailed paragraphs can be used for reference or to gain an overview of particular areas of the language, and include extensive cross references to and from the texts in Chapter 5. The chapter concludes with an overview of the MHG dictionaries that are available on the Internet, in print, and on CD-ROM.

Historical, Cultural, and Literary Background

This chapter describes the context in which the texts chosen for study originated and in which the use of German as a written language developed during the Middle High German period. No prior knowledge of the period is presupposed; key concepts are explained as they arise. The chapter is divided into three sections. The first explains the formation of the kingdom of Germany and of the Holy Roman Empire and examines the relationship between them. The second section describes the structure and working of German society under the following headings: the church; kingship and the secular nobility (including discussion of knighthood and chivalry); peasants and the rural economy; towns and townspeople. The third section surveys the principal types of texts that provide the basis for the study of Middle High German. The survey covers religious literature, courtly literature, chronicles, legal and administrative texts, and medical and other specialist literature.

Versification

This chapter describes the chief features of versification in poetry written in the Middle High German Classical period (c.1170–c.1230) and in the remainder of the Middle High German period. The four parts of the chapter treat metre (anacrusis, interior of the line, cadence), rhyme (types of rhyme, rhyme schemes), lines of verse in context (rhythmical continuity or discontinuity between lines of verse, metrical and syntactical structures, rhyming couplets and syntactical structures), and verse forms (non-strophic verse, strophic verse in heroic and lyric poetry, the ‘Stollenstrophe’). Tips for the scansion of verse are included. Technical terminology in English and German is explained throughout. Examples are in the main drawn from the selection of texts (Chapter 5). In the case of lyric verse, the general account in this chapter is supplemented by metrical analyses of each song included in the selection.

Introduction

This chapter explains the organization of the book and defines the object of study. Different pathways are recommended depending on readers’ prior knowledge of Middle High German and their linguistic, literary, or historical interests. The Introduction makes a distinction between Middle High German writings in general and Classical Middle High German, i.e. the normalized language in which many great works of the period are edited (reflecting nineteenth-century practices) and read today. Middle High German is situated within the Germanic language family and contrasted with Middle Low German, and its main dialect areas are described. The Introduction explains why the period 1050–1350, which is traditionally used to define Middle High German, has been adopted in this volume, and gives an account of the chronological subdivisions of the period. The methodological approach of the remaining chapters of the book is set out and recommendations are made for further reading.

Selection of Annotated Texts

The selection of texts comprises extracts not only from the courtly literature of the Middle High German Classical period such as Erec, the Nibelungenlied, Parzival, Tristan, and the lyrics of Walther von der Vogelweide, but also from religious literature, writings on natural history, chronicles, and legal texts. Verse and prose works from the whole span of the Middle High German period are included. In addition to texts in the normalized Middle High German in which the classical authors are normally read, texts have been chosen to represent all the major dialects of Middle High German. Each text has an introduction placing it in context; texts in a dialectical variety have also linguistic introductions. All texts are accompanied by notes on their grammar, vocabulary, and content, and by recommendations for further reading. Two introductory texts are designed to familiarize readers new to Middle High German with essential features of the language.