Ateneo - UPO

Introduction to the History of the German Language

Von Polenz, Peter (2020). Geschichte der deutschen Sprache. 11. Auflage. Berlin / Boston: de Gruyter.Dammel, Antje / Nübling, Damaris / Szczepaniak, Renata (2026). Historische Sprachwissenschaft des Deutschen. Eine Einführung in die Prinzipien des Sprachwandels. Tübingen: Narr Francke Attempto Verlag.Hill, Eugen / Hartmann, Markus (2026). Historische Sprachwissenschaft des Deutschen. Baden-Baden: Nomos.Schmidt, Wilhelm (2020). Geschichte der deutschen Sprache. Teil 1 und 2. Ein Lehrbuch für das germanistische Studium. 12° edizione. Edizione in 2 volumi.

The course aims to provide students with fundamental knowledge of the historical evolution of the German language, from the earliest attestations of Old High German to contemporary German, with particular attention to the periods of Althochdeutsch, Mittelhochdeutsch, and Frühneuhochdeutsch. Through workshop activities involving guided reading and analysis of texts representative of the German linguistic and literary tradition — conducted individually and/or in groups, with the support of digital tools — students will explore in depth the main phonological, morphological, syntactic, and lexical changes, relating them to the historical, cultural, and social context in which they developed. Particular attention will be devoted to the role of key works and authors from each period, including (but not limited to) the Merseburger Zaubersprüche, Walther von der Vogelweide, and Martin Luther. By the end of the course, thanks to the practical exercises carried out during the laboratory, students will be able to recognize and describe the main phases in the history of the German language, to analyze texts from different periods by identifying their essential linguistic features, and to interpret phenomena of linguistic change in light of their historical-cultural context. They will also be able to make use of digital tools, such as historical corpora and electronic dictionaries, for reading and analyzing texts.

A2-B1 level of German proficiency (successful completion of the course “Lingua tedesca - Esercitazioni I anno”).

The course includes lectures as well as seminar and workshop activities. The lectures introduce the main phases of the historical evolution of the German language, illustrating the principal phonological, morphological, syntactic, and lexical changes within their historical, cultural, and social context. The seminar and workshop activities are devoted to the reading, translation, analysis, and linguistic commentary of texts representative of the different periods in the history of German, carried out with the active participation of students. Particular attention will be given to the interpretation of linguistic change phenomena through guided reading and group discussion of the texts, also with the support of digital tools such as historical corpora and electronic dictionaries.

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN) may request dedicated services and support tools by contacting the University’s Student Careers and Services Development and Coordination Office and by consulting the dedicated page on the University website: https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizi-studentesse-e-studenti-condizione-di-disabilit%C3%A0-e-dsa. Once they have contacted the relevant University Office, students with disabilities, SLD, or SEN may contact the course instructor regarding the arrangements for examinations and any aspects related to teaching and learning activities.

The laboratory course belongs to the category F disciplines ("additional learning activities"). Consequently, assessment is expressed as a pass/fail evaluation and does not contribute to the student's overall grade point average. Given the practical nature of the course, attendance will be recorded. The laboratory course is considered successfully completed upon attendance of at least 70% of the scheduled activities. Assessment will be based on the following components: (A) active participation in classroom activities and submission of the assignments completed during the course and through the DIR platform; (B) an oral presentation of a linguistic analysis and translation of a text assigned by the instructor, carried out through the application of the knowledge, methods, and analytical tools acquired during the laboratory course (e.g. historical dictionaries, corpora, and digital resources). The written assignment, which may be prepared in Word or an equivalent format, must be submitted to the instructor at least two days before the presentation date. During the presentation, the instructor will evaluate both the linguistic analysis and the methodological approach of the assignment and may ask up to three questions concerning: (1) the criteria adopted for the analysis of the text and the rationale behind the interpretative choices made; (2) the linguistic features identified and their contextualisation within the historical development of the German language; and (3) the use of analytical methods and tools (e.g. historical dictionaries, corpora, and digital resources) and their application to the analysis of the text.

The course offers a structured introduction to the history of the German language, with particular attention to the main phases of its evolution, from Old High German to contemporary German. The main phenomena of linguistic change will be presented and analyzed, with particular reference to morphological, syntactic, and lexical aspects. During the workshop activities, students will engage with literary and non-literary documents belonging to various stages of the German language and, through group and/or interactive activities, including through digital platforms, will approach the reading and linguistic analysis of texts representative of different periods, situated within their historical and cultural context.

Below are the expected learning outcomes. (1. Knowledge and understanding) Students acquire the fundamental theoretical and methodological knowledge concerning the history of the German language, with particular reference to the main phases of its evolution from Old High German to contemporary German, and to the main phenomena of phonological, morphological, syntactic, and lexical change. (2. Applying knowledge and understanding)Students are able to analyze texts belonging to different periods in the history of German, recognizing their linguistic characteristics and applying the knowledge acquired to the interpretation of linguistic change phenomena. (3. Making judgments) Students develop the ability to critically interpret phenomena of German language evolution, relating them to their historical, cultural, and social context and evaluating the role of texts as linguistic evidence. (4. Communication skills) Students are able to present and discuss, using appropriate specialized linguistic terminology, the main phenomena in the history of the German language and the linguistic characteristics of the texts addressed during the course. (5. Learning skills) Students acquire a method of linguistic and historical-cultural analysis that enables them to independently navigate the study of the evolution of the German language, including through the use of digital tools such as historical corpora and electronic lexicographic resources.