Ateneo - UPO

The course divides into three parts: the first one regards the definition and history of Germanic Philology, together with the most important scholar who discovered and defined the linguistical rules regarding the Germanic languages and the classification of all Germanic languages. The second part concerns Germanic linguistics, studying the transition from indo-european language to common Germanic one and from Germanic linguistical phase to the Germanic languages, as Gothic, Anglo-Saxon, Old High German, Old Low German, Northern languages (Islandic, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian). The third parts is related to the culture, religion and history of Germanic people, together with their literary production. The Germanic Philology course will be compleded by the study of the activities performed by the monks within the monasteries belonging to all Germanic areas and a visit at Archivio and Biblioteca Capitolare in Vercelli to examine the Vercelli Book.

Vittoria Dolcetti Corazza-Renato Gendre, Moduli di Filologia Germanica, Dell'Orso, Alessandria 2000. Regarding to Germanic linguistics, it is possible to choose between two books: M.G. Saibene-M. Buzzoni, Manuale di linguistica germanica, Cisalpino, Milano 2004 (pp. 3-27, 35-41, 75-100, 107-110, 115-126, 173-188, 201-221, 233-259, 269-307) or P. Ramat, Introduzione alla linguistica germanica. Regarding Germanic culture and religion, all students can read the following monography: A.M. Luiselli Fadda, Tradizioni manoscritte e critica del testo nel Medioevo germanico, Laterza, Roma - Bari, 2009 (first part).

The Germanic Philology Course aims to let the students know all peculiarities relating to Germanic people (Goths, Anglo-Saxons, High and low Germans, together with Islandic, Norwegian, Swedish and Danish people) concerning their culture, language origins and developments, mithology, religion and literary production.

No prerequisites are required; however it is better that students have a good knowledge of Medieval history and Modern English or German languages.

Frontal lessons. The literary texts will be read and commented from linguistical point of view. However, it is possibile to download the slides relating to the course from the University web site.

The course aims to offer the students a deep knowledge of Germanic culture, languages and literatures, by comparing the peculiarities of the various civilizations. Peculiarities and similiarities among the various topics will be pointed out during the lessons.

During the course, some examples of the questions relating to the final exams will be presented the students. The written exam will consist in 10 (ten) open questions, relating to all program. Students have one hour and a half to complete the written exam.

History and definition of Germanic Philology. The most important scholars from 17th-20th centuries. The indoeuropean and the Germanic languages. The classification of Germanic languages. Germanic linguistics from Indoeuropean to common Germanic language and from this phase to Gothic, Old High German, Old Low German, Anglo-Saxon and Nothern languages (Islandic, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Feroese). The literary production of Germanic people from high to early modern phases. The work activity of the monks within their monasteries of all Germanic areas. Visit at the Archivio and Biblioteca Capitolare in Vercelli to comment the Vercelli Book and the Langobard law codex.

At the end of the course, the students will obtain a deep knowldege of all peculiarities concerning the Germanic people and languages from late Antiquity to low Medieval period.