View source for Middle High German

{{Short description|Historical form of High German}}
{{Infobox language
|name       = Middle High German
|image      = Pfaffe Konrad - Rolandslied - cod. pal. germ. 112 - 024.jpg
|imagecaption=Manuscript page from ''[[Rolandslied]]'', written in Middle High German in the 12th century
|nativename = {{lang|gmh|diutsch}} / {{lang|gmh|tiutsch}}
|region     = Central and southern [[Germany]], [[Austria]] and parts of [[Switzerland]]
|era        = [[High Middle Ages]]
|familycolor= Indo-European
|fam2       = [[Germanic languages|Germanic]]
|fam3       = [[West Germanic languages|West Germanic]]
|fam4       = [[High German languages|High German]]
|ancestor   = [[Old High German]]
|iso2       = gmh
|iso2comment= ({{c.|1050–1500}})
|iso3       = gmh
|iso3comment= ({{c.|1050–1500}})
|glotto     = midd1343
|glottorefname=Middle High German
|iso6       = mdgr
|notice     = IPA
|script=Latin
}}
'''Middle High German''' ('''MHG'''; {{langx|gmh|diutsch|label=[[endonym]]}} or {{lang|gmh|tiutsch}}; {{langx|de|Mittelhochdeutsch|label=[[New High German]]}} {{IPA|de|ˈmɪtl̩hoːxˌdɔʏtʃ||De-Mittelhochdeutsch.ogg}}, shortened as ''Mhdt.'' or ''Mhd.'') is the term for the form of [[High German|High]] [[German language|German]] spoken in the [[High Middle Ages]]. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from [[Old High German]] (OHG) into [[Early New High German]] (ENHG). [[High German]] is defined as those varieties of German which were affected by the [[High German consonant shift|Second Sound Shift]]; the [[Middle Low German]] (MLG) and [[Middle Dutch]] languages spoken to the North and North West, which did not participate in this [[sound change]], are not part of MHG.

While there is no ''standard'' MHG, the prestige of the [[Hohenstaufen]] court gave rise in the late 12th century to a supra-regional literary language ({{lang|de|mittelhochdeutsche Dichtersprache}}) based on [[Swabian dialect|Swabian]], an [[Alemannic German|Alemannic]] dialect. This historical interpretation is complicated by the tendency of modern editions of MHG texts to use ''normalised'' spellings based on this variety (usually called "Classical MHG"), which make the written language appear more consistent than it actually is in the manuscripts. Scholars are uncertain as to whether the literary language reflected a supra-regional ''spoken'' language of the courts.

An important development in this period was the {{lang|de|[[Ostsiedlung]]}}, the eastward expansion of German settlement beyond the {{lang|de|[[Elbe]]-[[Saale]]}} line which marked the limit of [[Old High German]]. This process started in the 11th century, and all the [[East Central German]] dialects are a result of this expansion.

"Judeo-German", the precursor of the [[Yiddish]] language, is attested in the 12th–13th centuries, as a variety of Middle High German written in Hebrew characters.

==Periodisation==
[[File:Deutsche Ostsiedlung.png|thumb|German territorial expansion in the Middle High German period (adapted from [[Walter Kuhn]])

----
{{legend|#E95E1B|Germanic peoples before AD 700}}
{{legend|#EE813C|{{lang|de|[[Ostsiedlung]]}}, 8th–11th centuries}}
{{legend|#F4A586|Expansion in the 12th century}}
{{legend|#FABD42|Expansion in the 13th century}}
{{legend|#FDD060|Expansion in the 14th century}}
]]

[[File:Deutsche Ostsiedlung.jpg|thumb|German territorial expansion before 1400 from F. W. Putzger]]

The Middle High German period is generally dated from 1050 to 1350.{{sfn|Keller|1978|p=236}}{{sfn|Lindgren|1980|p=580}}{{sfn|Waterman|1976|p=83}}{{sfn|Rautenberg|1985|p=1120}} An older view puts the boundary with (Early) New High German around 1500.{{sfn|Rautenberg|1985|p=1120}}{{sfn|Roelcke|1998|pp=804–811|ps=: tabulates the various periodisations.}}

There are several phonological criteria which separate MHG from the preceding [[Old High German]] period:{{sfn|Roelcke|1998|p=812}}
* the weakening of unstressed vowels to {{angle bracket|e}}: OHG {{lang|goh|taga}}, MHG {{lang|gmh|tage}} ("days"){{sfn|Waterman|1976|p=85}}
* the full development of [[Germanic umlaut|umlaut]] and its use to mark a number of [[morphology (linguistics)|morphological categories]]{{sfn|Waterman|1976|p=85}}
* the [[final-obstruent devoicing|devoicing of final stops]]: OHG {{lang|goh|tag}} > MHG {{lang|gmh|tac}} ("day"){{sfn|Keller|1978|p=276}}{{sfn|Brockhaus|1995|p=6}}

Culturally, the two periods are distinguished by the transition from a predominantly clerical written culture, in which the dominant language was [[Latin]], to one centred on the courts of the great nobles, with German gradually expanding its range of use.{{sfn|Lindgren|1980|p=580}}{{sfn|Waterman|1976|pp=87f.}} The rise of the [[Hohenstaufen]] dynasty in [[Swabia]] makes the South West the dominant region in both political and cultural terms.{{sfn|Keller|1978|p=337}}

Demographically, the MHG period is characterised by a massive rise in population,{{sfn|Keller|1978|pp=237|ps=: "the population appears to have increased about fivefold."}} terminated by the demographic catastrophe of the [[Black Death]] (1348).{{sfn|Keller|1978|pp=336}} Along with the rise in population comes a territorial expansion eastwards ({{lang|de|[[Ostsiedlung]]}}), which saw German-speaking settlers colonise land previously under [[Slavs|Slavic]] control.{{sfn|Keller|1978|pp=238–239}}{{sfn|Rautenberg|1985|p=1121}}

Linguistically, the transition to [[Early New High German]] is marked by four vowel changes which together produce the phonemic system of modern German, though not all dialects participated equally in these changes:{{sfn|Waterman|1976|p=103}}
* [[Diphthongisation]] of the long high vowels {{IPA|/iː yː uː/}} > {{IPA|/aɪ̯ ɔʏ̯ aʊ̯/}}: MHG {{lang|gmh|hût}} > NHG {{lang|de|Haut}} ("skin")
* [[Monophthongisation]] of the high centering diphthongs {{IPA|/iə yə uə/}} > {{IPA|/iː yː uː/}}: MHG {{lang|gmh|huot}} > NHG {{lang|de|Hut}} ("hat")
* lengthening of stressed short vowels in open syllables: MHG {{lang|gmh|sagen}} {{IPA|/zaɡən/}} > NHG {{lang|de|sagen}} {{IPA|/zaːɡən/}} ("say")
* The loss of unstressed vowels in many circumstances: MHG {{lang|gmh|vrouwe}} > NHG {{lang|de|Frau}} ("lady")

The centres of culture in the ENHG period are no longer the courts but the towns.{{sfn|Rautenberg|1985|p=1300}}

==Dialects==
[[File:Middle High German dialects.jpg|thumb|250px|Middle High German dialect boundaries]]
The [[German dialects|dialect map of Germany]] by the end of the Middle High German period was much the same as that at the start of the 20th century, though the boundary with Low German was further south than it now is:{{sfn|Schmidt|2013|p=278}}{{sfn|Keller|1978|p=257}}

'''[[Central German]]''' (''Mitteldeutsch''){{sfn|Paul|2007|pp=8–9}}
*[[West Central German]] (''Westmitteldeutsch'')
**[[Central Franconian dialects|Central Franconian]] (''Mittelfränkisch'')
***[[Ripuarian language|Ripuarian]] (''Ripuarisch'')
***[[Moselle Franconian dialects|Moselle Franconian]] (''Moselfränkisch'')
**[[Rhine Franconian dialects|Rhine Franconian]] (''Rheinfränkisch'')
**[[Hessian dialects|Hessian]] (''Hessisch'')
*[[East Central German]] (''Ostmitteldeutsch'')
**[[Thuringian dialect|Thuringian]] (''Thüringisch'')
**[[Upper Saxon German|Upper Saxon]] (''Obersächsisch'')
**[[Silesian German|Silesian]] (''Schlesisch'')
**[[High Prussian dialect|High Prussian]] (''Hochpreußisch'')
'''[[Upper German]]''' (''Oberdeutsch''){{sfn|Paul|2007|pp=6–7}}
*[[East Franconian German|East Franconian]] (''Ostfränkisch'')
*[[Rhine Franconian dialects|South Rhine Franconian]] (''Süd(rhein)fränkisch'')
*[[Alemannic German|Alemannic]] (''Alemannisch'')
**North Alemannic (''Nordalemannisch'')
***[[Swabian German|Swabian]] (''Schwäbisch'')
***[[Low Alemannic German|Low Alemannic]] (''Niederalemannisch/Oberrheinisch'')
**[[High Alemannic German|High Alemannic/South Alemannic]] (''Hochalemannisch/Südalemannisch'') )
*[[Bavarian language|Bavarian]] (''Bairisch'')
**[[Northern Bavarian]] (''Nordbairisch'')
**[[Central Bavarian]] (''Mittelbairisch'')
**[[Southern Bavarian]] (''Südbairisch'')
With the exception of Thuringian, the East Central German dialects are new dialects resulting from the ''{{lang|de|[[Ostsiedlung]]}}'' and arise towards the end of the period.{{sfn|Schmidt|2013|p=278}}{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=9}}

== Writing system==

Middle High German texts are written in the [[Latin alphabet]]. There was no standardised spelling, but modern editions generally standardise according to a set of conventions established by [[Karl Lachmann]] in the 19th century.{{sfn|Paul|2007|pp=23ff}} There are several important features in this standardised orthography which are not characteristics of the original [[manuscript]]s:
*the marking of vowel length is almost entirely absent from MHG manuscripts.{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=27}}
*the marking of [[Germanic umlaut|umlauted]] vowels is often absent or inconsistent in the manuscripts.{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=72–73}}
*a curly-tailed z ({{angle bracket|[[ȥ]]}} or {{angle bracket|ʒ}}) is used in modern handbooks and grammars to indicate the {{IPA|/s/}} or {{IPA|/s/}}-like sound which arose from [[Germanic languages|Germanic]] {{IPA|/t/}} in the [[High German consonant shift]]. This character has no counterpart in the original manuscripts, which typically use {{angle bracket|s}} or {{angle bracket|z}} to indicate this sound.{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=28}}
*the original texts often use {{angle bracket|i}} and {{angle bracket|uu}} for the semi-vowels {{IPA|/j/}} and {{IPA|/w/}}.{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=142–144}}

A particular problem is that many manuscripts are of much later date than the works they contain; as a result, they bear the signs of later scribes having modified the spellings, with greater or lesser consistency, in accord with conventions of their time.{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=25}} In addition, there is considerable regional variation in the spellings that appear in the original texts, which modern editions largely conceal.{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=17}}

===Vowels===

The standardised orthography of MHG editions uses the following vowel spellings:{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=27}}
* [[Short vowels]]: {{angle bracket|a e i o u}} and the umlauted vowels {{angle bracket|ä ö ü}}
* [[Long vowels]]: {{angle bracket|â ê î ô û}} and the umlauted vowels {{angle bracket|æ œ iu}}
* [[Diphthong]]s: {{angle bracket|ei ou ie uo}}; and the umlauted diphthongs {{angle bracket|öu eu oi üe}}

Grammars (as opposed to textual editions) often distinguish between {{angle bracket|ë}} and {{angle bracket|e}}, the former indicating the mid-open {{IPA|/ɛ/}} which derived from Germanic {{IPA|/e/}}, the latter (often with a dot beneath it) indicating the mid-close {{IPA|/e/}} which results from primary umlaut of short {{IPA|/a/}}. No such orthographic distinction is made in MHG manuscripts.{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=27}}

===Consonants===
The standardised orthography of MHG editions uses the following consonant spellings:{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=28}}
* [[Stop consonant|Stops]]: {{angle bracket|p t k/c/q b d g}}
* [[Affricate consonant|Affricates]]: {{angle bracket|pf/ph tz/z}}
* [[Fricative consonant|Fricatives]]: {{angle bracket|v f s ȥ sch ch h}}
* [[Nasal consonant|Nasals]]: {{angle bracket|m n}}
* [[Liquid consonant|Liquids]]: {{angle bracket|l r}}
* [[Semivowel]]s: {{angle bracket|w j}}

==Phonology==
The charts show the vowel and consonant systems of classical MHG. The spellings indicated are the standard spellings used in modern editions; there is much more variation in the manuscripts.

===Vowels===
====Short and long Vowels====
{| border="2" cellpadding="5" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid;"
| rowspan="3" | &nbsp;
! colspan="4" | [[Front vowel|front]]
! rowspan="2" colspan="2" | [[Central vowel|central]]
! rowspan="2" colspan="2" | [[Back vowel|back]]
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Unrounded vowel|unrounded]]
! colspan="2" | [[rounded vowel|rounded]]
|-
! [[Short vowel|short]]
! [[Long vowel|long]]
! short
! long
! short
! long
! short
! long
|-
! [[Close vowel|close]]
| {{IPA link|i}} {{angle bracket|i}}
| {{IPA link|iː}} {{angle bracket|î}}
| {{IPA link|y}} {{angle bracket|ü}}
| {{IPA link|yː}} {{angle bracket|iu}}
| colspan="2" | &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|u}} {{angle bracket|u}}
| {{IPA link|uː}} {{angle bracket|û}}
|-
! [[Close-mid vowel|close-mid]]
| {{IPA link|e}} {{angle bracket|ë}}
| &nbsp;
| colspan="2" | &nbsp;
| colspan="2" | &nbsp;
| colspan="2" | &nbsp;
|-
! [[Mid vowel|mid]]
| {{IPA link|ɛ}} {{angle bracket|e}}
| {{IPA link|ɛː}} {{angle bracket|ê}}
| {{IPA link|ø}} {{angle bracket|ö}}
| {{IPA link|øː}} {{angle bracket|œ}}
| colspan="2" | &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|o}} {{angle bracket|o}}
| {{IPA link|oː}} {{angle bracket|ô}}
|-
! [[Open-mid vowel|open-mid]]
| {{IPA link|æ}} {{angle bracket|ä}}
| {{IPA link|æː}} {{angle bracket|æ}}
| colspan="2" | &nbsp;
| colspan="2" | &nbsp;
| colspan="2" | &nbsp;
|-
! [[Open vowel|open]]
| colspan="4" | &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|a}} {{angle bracket|a}}
| {{IPA link|aː}} {{angle bracket|â}}
| colspan="2" | &nbsp;
|}
Notes:
# Not all dialects distinguish the three unrounded mid front vowels.
# It is probable that the short high and mid vowels are lower than their long equivalents, as in Modern German, but that is impossible to establish from the written sources.
# The {{angle bracket|e}} found in unstressed syllables may indicate {{IPA|[ɛ]}} or [[schwa]] {{IPA|[ə]}}.

====Diphthongs====
MHG diphthongs are indicated by the spellings {{angle bracket|ei}}, {{angle bracket|ie}}, {{angle bracket|ou}}, {{angle bracket|öu}} and {{angle bracket|eu}}, {{angle bracket|üe}}, {{angle bracket|uo}}, and they have the approximate values of {{IPA|/ei/}}, {{IPA|/iə/}}, {{IPA|/ou/}}, {{IPA|/øy/}}, {{IPA|/eu/}}, {{IPA|/yə/}}, {{IPA|/uə/}}, respectively.

===Consonants===
{| border="2" cellpadding="5" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid;"
| &nbsp;
! [[Bilabial consonant|Bilabial]]
! [[Labiodental consonant|Labiodental]]
! [[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! [[Postalveolar consonant|Postalveolar]]
! [[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
! [[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! [[Plosive consonant|Plosive]]
| {{IPA link|p}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA link|b}}
| &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|t}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA link|d}}
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|k}} {{angle bracket|k, c}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA link|ɡ}}
| &nbsp;
|-
! [[Affricate consonant|Affricates]]
| {{IPA link|p͡f}}
| &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|t͡s}} {{angle bracket|z}}
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|-
! [[Nasal stop|Nasal]]
| {{IPA link|m}}
| &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|n}}
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|ŋ}} {{angle bracket|ng}}
| &nbsp;
|-
! [[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
| &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|f}} {{angle bracket|f}}&nbsp;{{IPA link|v}} {{angle bracket|v}}
| {{IPA link|s}} {{angle bracket|ȥ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA link|s̠}} {{angle bracket|s}}
| ({{IPA link|ʃ}}) {{angle bracket|later from sch, sc and s before a consonant}}
| &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|x}} {{angle bracket|ch, h}}
| {{IPA link|h}}
|-
! [[Approximant]]
| {{IPA link|w}}
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|j}}
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|-
! [[Liquid consonant|Liquid]]
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| {{IPA link|r}}&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA link|l}}
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
| &nbsp;
|}

# Precise information about the articulation of consonants is impossible to establish and must have varied between dialects.
# In the plosive and fricative series, if there are two consonants in a cell, the first is [[fortis and lenis|fortis]] and the second [[lenis]]. The voicing of lenis consonants varied between dialects.
# There are long consonants, and the following double consonant spellings indicate not vowel length, as they do in Modern German orthography, but rather genuine double consonants: ''pp'', ''bb'', ''tt'', ''dd'', ''ck'' (for {{IPA|/kk/}}), ''gg'', ''ff'', ''ss'', ''zz'', ''mm'', ''nn'', ''ll'', ''rr''.
# It is reasonable to assume that {{IPA|/x/}} has an allophone {{IPA|[χ]}} after back vowels, as in Modern German.
# The original Germanic fricative ''s'' was in writing usually clearly distinguished from the younger fricative ''z'' that evolved from the High German consonant shift. The sounds of both letters seem not to have merged before the 13th century. Since ''s'' later came to be pronounced {{IPA|/ʃ/}} before other consonants (as in ''Stein'' {{IPA|/ʃtaɪn/}}, ''Speer'' {{IPA|/ʃpeːɐ/}}, ''Schmerz'' {{IPA|/ʃmɛrts/}} (original ''smerz'') or the southwestern pronunciation of words like ''Ast'' {{IPA|/aʃt/}}), it seems safe to assume that the actual pronunciation of Germanic ''s'' was somewhere between {{IPA|[s]}} and {{IPA|[ʃ]}}, most likely about {{IPAblink|s̠}}, in all Old High German until late Middle High German. A word like ''swaz'', "whatever", would thus never have been {{IPA|[swas]}} but rather {{IPA|[s̠was]}}, later (13th century) {{IPA|[ʃwas]}}, {{IPA|[ʃvas]}}.

==Grammar==

=== Pronouns ===
Middle High German pronouns of the first person refer to the speaker; those of the second person refer to an addressed person; and those of the third person refer to a person or thing of which one speaks.
The [[pronoun]]s of the third person may be used to replace [[noun phrase|nominal phrases]]. These have the same [[gender]]s, [[grammatical number|number]]s and [[case (linguistics)|case]]s as the original nominal phrase.

==== Personal pronouns ====
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Personal Pronouns
! 
! 1st sg
! 2nd sg
! colspan="3" | 3rd sg
! 1st pl
! 2nd pl
! 3rd pl
|-
! Nominative
| ''{{lang|gmh|ich}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|du}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|ër}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|siu}}'' || rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|ëȥ}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|wir}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|ir}}''
| rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|sie}}'' / ''{{lang|gmh|siu}}''
|-
! Accusative
| ''{{lang|gmh|mich}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dich}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|in}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|sie}}'' 
| ''{{lang|gmh|uns}}(ich)''
| ''{{lang|gmh|iuch}}''
|-
! Dative
| ''{{lang|gmh|mir}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dir}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|im}}'' || rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|ir}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|im}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|uns}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|iu}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|in}}''
|-
! Genitive
| ''{{lang|gmh|mîn}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dîn}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|sîn}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|sîn}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|unser}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|iuwer}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|ir}}''
|}

==== Possessive pronouns ====
The possessive pronouns ''{{lang|gmh|mîn, dîn, sîn, ir, unser, iuwer}}'' are used like adjectives and hence take on adjective endings following the normal rules. 
<!--
Other pronouns:
* reflexive pronouns
* demonstrative pronouns
* relative pronouns
* interrogative pronouns
* indefinite pronouns
-->

===Articles===
The inflected forms of the article depend on the number, the case and the gender of the corresponding noun. The definite article has the same plural forms for all three genders.

Definite article (strong)
{| class="wikitable"
! Case
! Masculine
! Neuter
! Feminine
! Plural
|-
! Nominative
| ''{{lang|gmh|dër}}''
| rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|daȥ}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|diu}}''
| rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|die}}'' / ''{{lang|gmh|diu}}''
|-
! Accusative
| ''{{lang|gmh|dën}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|die}}''
|-
! Dative
| colspan="2" align="center" |  ''{{lang|gmh|dëm}}''
| rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|dër}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dën}}''
|-
! Genitive
| colspan="2" align="center" | ''{{lang|gmh|dës}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dër}}''
|-
! Instrumental
|
| ''{{lang|gmh|diu}}''
|
|
|}
The [[instrumental case]], only existing in the neuter singular, is used only with [[preposition]]s: ''{{lang|gmh|von diu}}'', ''{{lang|gmh|ze diu}}'', etc. In all the other genders and in the plural it is substituted with the dative: ''{{lang|gmh|von dëm}}'', ''{{lang|gmh|von dër}}'', ''{{lang|gmh|von dën}}''.

===Nouns===
Middle High German [[nouns]] were declined according to four [[grammatical case|cases]] ([[nominative]], [[genitive]], [[dative case|dative]], [[accusative]]), two [[grammatical number|numbers]] (singular and [[plural]]) and three [[grammatical gender|genders]] (masculine, feminine and neuter), much like Modern High German, though there are several important differences.

====Strong nouns====

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|dër tac}}''<br/>day m.
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|diu gëbe}}''<br/>gift f.
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|daȥ wort}}''<br/>word n.
|-
! Singular
! Plural
! Singular
! Plural
! Singular
! Plural
|-
! Nominative
| ''{{lang|gmh|dër tac}}'' || rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|die tage}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|diu gëbe}}'' || rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|die gëbe}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|daȥ wort}}'' || rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|diu wort}}''
|-
! Accusative
| ''{{lang|gmh|dën tac}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|die gëbe}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|daȥ wort}}''
|-
! Genitive
| ''{{lang|gmh|dës tages}}''|| ''{{lang|gmh|dër tage}}''
| rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|dër gëbe}}''|| ''{{lang|gmh|dër gëben}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dës wortes}}''|| ''{{lang|gmh|dër worte}}''
|-
! Dative
| ''{{lang|gmh|dëm tage}}''|| ''{{lang|gmh|dën tagen}}''|| ''{{lang|gmh|dën gëben}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dëm worte}}''|| ''{{lang|gmh|dën worten}}''
|}
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|dër gast}}''<br/>guest m.
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|diu kraft}}''<br/>strength f.
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|daȥ lamp}}''<br/>lamb n.
|-
! Singular
! Plural
! Singular
! Plural
! Singular
! Plural
|-
! Nominative
| ''{{lang|gmh|dër gast}}'' || rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|die geste}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|diu kraft}}'' || rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|die krefte}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|daȥ lamp}}'' || rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|diu lember}}''
|-
! Accusative
| ''{{lang|gmh|dën gast}}'' 
| ''{{lang|gmh|die kraft}}'' 
| ''{{lang|gmh|daȥ lamp}}'' 
|-
! Genitive
| ''{{lang|gmh|dës gastes}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dër geste}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dër kraft/krefte}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dër krefte}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dës lambes}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dër lember}}''
|-
! Dative
| ''{{lang|gmh|dëm gaste}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dën gesten}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dër kraft/krefte}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dën kreften}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dëm lambe}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dën lembern}}''
|}

====Weak nouns====

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|dër veter}}''<br/>(male) cousin m.
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|diu zunge}}''<br/>tongue f.
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|daȥ herze}}''<br/>heart n.
|-
! Singular
! Plural
! Singular
! Plural
! Singular
! Plural
|-
! Nominative
| ''{{lang|gmh|dër veter}}'' || rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|die veteren}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|diu zunge}}'' || rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|die zungen}}''
| rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|daȥ herze}}'' || rowspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|diu herzen}}''
|-
! Accusative
| ''{{lang|gmh|dën veteren}}'' 
| ''{{lang|gmh|die zungen}}'' 
|-
! Genitive
| ''{{lang|gmh|dës veteren}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dër veteren}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dër zungen}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dër zungen}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dës herzen}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dër herzen}}''
|-
! Dative
| ''{{lang|gmh|dëm veteren}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dën veteren}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dër zungen}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dën zungen}}''
| ''{{lang|gmh|dëm herzen}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|dën herzen}}''
|}

===Verbs===
{{Main|Middle High German verbs}}
Verbs were conjugated according to three moods ([[realis mood|indicative]], [[subjunctive mood|subjunctive (conjunctive)]] and [[imperative mood|imperative]]), three persons, two [[grammatical number|numbers]] (singular and [[plural]]) and two tenses ([[present tense]] and [[preterite]]) There was a present participle, a past participle and a verbal noun that somewhat resembles the [[Latin]] [[gerund]], but that only existed in the [[genitive]] and [[dative case|dative]] cases.

An important distinction is made between [[Germanic strong verb|strong verb]]s (that exhibited [[Indo-European ablaut|ablaut]]) and [[Germanic weak verb|weak verb]]s (that didn't).

Furthermore, there were also some irregular verbs.

====Strong verbs====

The [[present tense]] conjugation went as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|nëmen}}''<br/>to take
|-
! Indicative
! Subjunctive
|-
! 1. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ich n'''i'''me}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|ich nëme}}''
|-
! 2. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|du n'''i'''m(e)st}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|du nëmest}}''
|-
! 3. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ër n'''i'''m(e)t}}''  || ''{{lang|gmh|er nëme}}''
|-
! 1. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|wir nëmen}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|wir nëmen}}''
|-
! 2. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ir nëm(e)t}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|ir nëmet}}''
|-
! 3. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|sie nëment}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|sie nëmen}}''
|}
* '''Imperative''': 2.sg.: ''{{lang|gmh|nim}}'', 2.pl.: ''{{lang|gmh|nëmet}}''
* '''Present participle''': ''{{lang|gmh|nëmende}}''
* '''Infinitive''': ''{{lang|gmh|nëmen}}''
* '''Verbal noun''': ''genitive'': ''{{lang|gmh|nëmen(n)es}}'', ''dative'': ''{{lang|gmh|ze nëmen(n)e}}''

The bold vowels demonstrate [[Germanic umlaut|umlaut]]; the vowels in brackets were dropped in rapid speech.

The [[preterite]] conjugation went as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|genomen haben}}''<br/>to have taken
|-
! Indicative
! Subjunctive
|-
! 1. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ich n'''a'''m}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|ich n'''æ'''me}}''
|-
! 2. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|du n'''æ'''me}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|du n'''æ'''mest}}''
|-
! 3. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ër n'''a'''m}}''  || ''{{lang|gmh|er n'''æ'''me}}''
|-
! 1. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|wir n'''â'''men}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|wir n'''æ'''men}}''
|-
! 2. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ir n'''â'''met}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|ir n'''æ'''met}}''
|-
! 3. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|sie n'''â'''men}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|sie n'''æ'''men}}''
|}
* '''Past participle''': ''{{lang|gmh|genomen}}''

====Weak verbs====

The [[present tense]] conjugation went as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|suochen}}''<br/>to seek
|-
! Indicative
! Subjunctive
|-
! 1. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ich suoche}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|ich suoche}}''
|-
! 2. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|du suoch(e)st}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|du suochest}}''
|-
! 3. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ër suoch(e)t}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|er suoche}}''
|-
! 1. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|wir suochen}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|wir suochen}}''
|-
! 2. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ir suoch(e)t}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|ir suochet}}''
|-
! 3. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|sie suochent}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|sie suochen}}''
|}
* '''Imperative''': 2.sg: ''{{lang|gmh|suoche}}'', 2.pl: ''{{lang|gmh|suochet}}''
* '''Present participle''': ''{{lang|gmh|suochende}}''
* '''Infinitive''': ''{{lang|gmh|suochen}}''
* '''Verbal noun''': ''genitive'': ''{{lang|gmh|suochennes}}'', ''dative'': ''{{lang|gmh|ze suochenne}}''

The vowels in brackets were dropped in rapid speech.

The [[preterite]] conjugation went as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" | ''{{lang|gmh|gesuocht haben}}''<br/>to have sought
|-
! Indicative
! Subjunctive
|-
! 1. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ich suochete}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|ich suochete}}''
|-
! 2. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|du suochetest}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|du suochetest}}''
|-
! 3. sg.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ër suochete}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|er suochete}}''
|-
! 1. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|wir suocheten}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|wir suocheten}}''
|-
! 2. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|ir suochetet}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|ir suochetet}}''
|-
! 3. pl.
| ''{{lang|gmh|sie suochetent}}'' || ''{{lang|gmh|sie suocheten}}''
|}
* '''Past participle''': ''{{lang|gmh|gesuochet}}''

==Vocabulary==
In the Middle High German period, the rise of a courtly culture and the changing nature of knighthood was reflected in changes to the vocabulary.{{sfn|Wiessner|1959|p=205}} Since the impetus for this set of social changes came largely from France, many of the new words were either loans from French or influenced by French terms.

The French loans mainly cover the areas of chivalry, warfare and equipment, entertainment, and luxury goods:{{sfn|Keller|1978|pp=321–323}}

*MHG ''{{lang|gmh|âventiure}}'' < OF ''{{lang|fro|aventure}}'' (NHG ''{{lang|de|Abenteuer}}'', "adventure") 
*MHG ''{{lang|gmh|prîs}}'' < OF ''{{lang|fro|pris}}'' (NHG ''{{lang|de|Preis}}'', "prize, reward") 
*MHG ''{{lang|gmh|lanze}}'' < OF ''{{lang|fro|lance}}'' (NHG ''{{lang|de|Lanze}}'', "lance") 
*MHG ''{{lang|gmh|palas}}'' < OF ''{{lang|fro|palais}}'' (NHG ''{{lang|de|Palast}}'', "palace") 
*MHG ''{{lang|gmh|fest, veste}}'' < OF ''{{lang|fro|feste}}'' (NHG ''{{lang|de|Fest}}'', "festival, feast") 
*MHG ''{{lang|gmh|pinsel}}'' < OF ''{{lang|fro|pincel}}'' (NHG ''{{lang|de|Pinsel}}'', "paint brush") 
*MHG ''{{lang|gmh|samît}}'' < OF ''{{lang|fro|samit}}'' (NHG ''{{lang|de|Samt}}'', "velvet") 
*MHG ''{{lang|gmh|rosîn}}'' < OF ''{{lang|fro|raisin}}'' (NHG ''{{lang|de|Rosine}}'', "raisin")

Two highly productive suffixes were borrowed from French in this period:

*The noun suffix '''-{{lang|gmh|îe}}''' is seen initially in borrowings from French such as ''{{lang|gmh|massenîe}}'' ("retinue, household") and then starts to be combined with German nouns to produce, for example, {{lang|gmh|jegerîe}} ("hunting") from {{lang|gmh|jeger}} ("huntsman"), or {{lang|gmh|arzatîe, arzenîe}} ("medicine ") from {{lang|gmh|arzat}} ("doctor"). With the [[Early_New_High_German#Diphthongization|Early New High German diphthongization]] the suffix became /ai/ (spelling <ei>) giving NHG ''{{lang|de|Jägerei}}'', ''{{lang|de|Arznei}}''.{{sfn|Tschirch|1975|pp=60–61}}

*The verb suffix '''-{{lang|gmh|îeren}}''' resulted from adding the German infinitive suffix ''-en'' to the Old French infinitive endings ''-er/ir/ier''.  Initially, this was just a way of integrating French verbs into German syntax, but the suffix became productive in its own right and was added to non-French roots: MHG ''{{lang|gmh|turnîeren}}'' is based on OF ''{{lang|fro|tourner}}'' ("to ride a horse"), but ''{{lang|gmh|halbieren}}'' ("to cut in half") has no French source.{{sfn|Keller|1978|p=322}}{{sfn|Tschirch|1975|p=60}}

==Sample texts==
===''[[Iwein]]''===
[[File:Hartmann von Aue's Iwein, Manuscript B, fol. 1r.jpg|thumb|Manuscript B of Hartmann von Aue's ''Iwein'' (Gießen, UB, Hs. 97), folio 1r]]
The text is the opening of [[Hartmann von Aue]]'s ''Iwein'' ({{circa|1200}})
{| cellpadding="12" 
!Middle High German{{sfn|Edwards|2007|p=2}} !! !!English translation
|-
|<poem lang="gmh">Swer an rehte güete
wendet sîn gemüete,
dem volget sælde und êre.
des gît gewisse lêre
künec Artûs der guote,
der mit rîters muote
nâch lobe kunde strîten.
er hât bî sînen zîten
gelebet alsô schône
daz er der êren krône
dô truoc und noch sîn name treit.
des habent die wârheit
sîne lantliute:
sî jehent er lebe noch hiute:
er hât den lop erworben,
ist im der lîp erstorben,
sô lebet doch iemer sîn name.
er ist lasterlîcher schame
iemer vil gar erwert,
der noch nâch sînem site vert.
</poem>
|<poem>[1]



[5]




[10]




[15]




[20]
</poem>
|<poem>Whoever to true goodness
Turns his mind
He will meet with fortune and honour.
We are taught this by the example of
Good King Arthur
who with knightly spirit
knew how to strive for praise.
In his day
He lived so well
That he wore the crown of honour
And his name still does so.
The truth of this is known
To his countrymen:
They affirm that he still lives today:
He won such fame that
Although his body died
His name lives on.
Of sinful shame
He will forever be free
Who follows his example.
</poem>
|}

'''Commentary:''' This text shows many typical features of Middle High German poetic language. Most Middle High German words survive into modern German in some form or other: this passage contains only one word (''{{lang|gmh|jehen}}'' 'say' 14) which has since disappeared from the language.  But many words have changed their meaning substantially. ''{{lang|gmh|Muot}}'' (6) means 'state of mind' (cognates with ''mood''), where modern German ''{{lang|de|Mut}}'' means courage. ''{{lang|gmh|Êre}}'' (3) can be translated with 'honour', but is quite a different concept of honour from modern German ''{{lang|de|Ehre}}''; the medieval term focuses on reputation and the respect accorded to status in society.{{sfn|Lexer|1999}}

===''[[Nibelungenlied]]''===
[[File:Nibelungenlied manuscript-c f1r.jpg|thumb|Manuscript C of the {{lang|de|[[Nibelungenlied]]}}, fol. 1r]]
The text is the opening strophe of the {{lang|de|[[Nibelungenlied]]}} ({{circa|1204}}).

<blockquote>
'''Middle High German{{sfn|Bartsch|De Boor|1988}}'''
<poem lang="gmh">Uns ist in alten mæren&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;wunders vil geseit
von helden lobebæren,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;von grôzer arebeit,
von freuden, hôchgezîten,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;von weinen und von klagen,
von küener recken strîten&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;muget ir nu wunder hœren sagen.</poem>

'''Modern German translation{{sfn|Brackert|1970}}'''
<poem lang="de">In alten Erzählungen wird uns viel Wunderbares berichtet
von ruhmreichen Helden, von hartem Streit,
von glücklichen Tagen und Festen, von Schmerz und Klage:
vom Kampf tapferer Recken: Davon könnt auch Ihr nun Wunderbares berichten hören.</poem>

'''English translation{{sfn|Edwards|2010}}'''
<poem>In ancient tales many marvels are told us
of renowned heroes, of great hardship
of joys, festivities, of weeping and lamenting
of bold warriors' battles — now ''you'' may hear such marvels told!</poem>
</blockquote>

'''Commentary:''' All the MHG words are recognizable from Modern German, though {{lang|gmh|mære}} ("tale") and {{lang|gmh|recke}} ("warrior") are archaic and {{lang|gmh|lobebære}} ("praiseworthy") has given way to {{lang|gmh|lobenswert}}. Words which have changed in meaning include {{lang|gmh|arebeit}}, which means "strife" or "hardship" in MHG, but now means "work", and {{lang|gmh|hôchgezît}} ("festivity") which now, as {{lang|de|Hochzeit}}, has the narrower meaning of "wedding".{{sfn|Lexer|1999}}

===''Erec''===
The text is from the opening of [[Hartmann von Aue]]'s ''[[Erec (poem)|Erec]]'' ({{circa|1180–1190}}). The manuscript (the [[Ambraser Heldenbuch]]) dates from 1516, over three centuries after the composition of the poem.
{| cellpadding="12" 
! !!Original manuscript{{sfn|Edrich|2014|ps=. The text from the [[Ambraser Heldenbuch]], 1516}} !!Edited text{{sfn|Leitzmann|1985|ps=. Standardised classical MHG.}} !!English translation{{sfn|Edwards|2014|p=5}}
|-
|<poem>5




10




15




20</poem>
|<poem>nu riten ſÿ vnlange friſt
nebeneinander baide
Ee daz ſy über die haÿde
verre jn allen gahen
zureÿten ſahen
ein Ritter ſelb dritten
Vor ein Gezwerg da einmitten
ein Jŭnckfrawen gemaÿt
ſchon vnd wolgeklait
vnd wundert die kunigin
wer der Ritter mo{{sup|a}}chte ſein
Er was ze harnaſch wol
als ein gu{{sup|o}}t knecht ſol
Eregk der iunge man
ſein frawen fragen began
ob ers erfarn ſolte
</poem>
|<poem>
nû riten si unlange vrist
neben einander beide,
ê daz si über die heide
verre in allen gâhen
zuo rîten sâhen
einen ritter selbedritten,
vor ein getwerc, dâ enmitten
eine juncvorouwen gemeit,
schœne unde wol gekleit.
nû wunderte die künegîn
wer der ritter möhte sîn.
er was ze harnasche wol,
als ein guot kneht sol.
Êrec der junge man
sîn vrouwen vrâgen began
ob erz ervarn solde. 
</poem>
|<poem>
Now they had not been riding together
with one another very long
when they saw, riding across the heath
from afar, in all haste,
towards them,
a knight and two others with him —
in front of him a dwarf, and between the two there
a comely damsel,
fair and well clad,
and the Queen wondered
who this knight might be.
He was well armed,
as a good knight ought to be.
Young Erec 
asked his lady
if he should find out the knight's identity.</poem>
|}

==Literature==
{{Main|Middle High German literature}}
The following are some of the main authors and works of MHG literature:
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Lyric poetry]]
** [[Minnesang]]
*** [[Codex Manesse]]
*** [[Reinmar von Hagenau]]
*** [[Walther von der Vogelweide]]
*** [[Heinrich Frauenlob]]
** [[Oswald von Wolkenstein]]
* [[Epic poetry|Epic]]
** ''{{lang|de|[[Nibelungenlied]]}}''
** ''{{lang|de|[[Kudrun]]}}''
* [[Chivalric romance]]
** [[Hartmann von Aue]]'s ''{{lang|gmh|[[Erec (poem)|Erec]]}}'' and ''{{lang|gmh|[[Iwein]]}}''
** [[Wolfram von Eschenbach]]'s ''{{lang|de|[[Parzival]]}}''
** [[Gottfried von Strassburg]]'s ''{{lang|de|[[Tristan]]}}''
** [[Ulrich von Türheim]]'s ''{{lang|gmh|Rennewart}}'' and ''{{lang|gmh|[[Willehalm]]}}''
** [[Rudolf von Ems]]'s works
** [[Konrad von Würzburg]]'s works
** [[Eilhart von Oberge]]'s ''{{lang|gmh|Tristrant}}''
* {{lang|de|[[Spielmannsdichtung]]}}
** ''{{lang|de|[[King Rother]]}}''
** ''{{lang|de|[[Herzog Ernst]]}}''
* [[Chronicle]]s
** ''{{lang|de|[[Annolied]]}}'' 
** [[Jans der Enikel]]'s ''{{lang|de|Weltchronik}}'' and ''{{lang|de|Fürstenbuch}}''
** ''{{lang|de|[[Kaiserchronik]]}}''
* Law
** ''{{lang|de|[[Sachsenspiegel]]}}''
{{div col end}}

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[High German consonant shift]]
* [[Matthias Lexer]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Bartsch |editor1-first=Karl |editor2-last=De Boor |editor2-first=Helmut| title=Das Nibelungenlied| edition=22 |publisher=F. A. Brockhaus|year=1988 |location=Mannheim|isbn=3-7653-0373-9}}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Brackert|editor-first=Helmut | title=Das Nibelungenlied. Mittelhochdeutscher Text und Übertragung |publisher=Fischer|year=1970 |location=Frankfurt-am-Main|isbn=3436013137}}
* {{cite book |last=Brockhaus |first=Wiebke |title=Final Devoicing in the Phonology of German| publisher= De Gruyter |year=1995 |location=Tübingen|isbn=9783484303362}}
* {{cite web |editor-last=Edrich |editor-first=Brigitte |title=Hartmann von Aue: Erec, Handschrift A.   |year=2014 |website=Hartmann von Aue Portal |url=http://hvauep.uni-trier.de/resources/erec/transcriptions/erec_a.pdf |access-date=17 February 2018}}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Edwards |editor-first=Cyril |title=Hartmann von Aue. Erec |series=Arthurian Archives. German Romance|volume=V|publisher=D.S.Brewer |year=2014 |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-1-84384-378-8}}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Edwards |editor-first=Cyril |title=Hartmann von Aue. Iwein or the Knight with the Lion |series=Arthurian Romances|volume=III|publisher=D. S. Brewer |year=2007 |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-0-19-923854-5}}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Edwards |editor-first=Cyril |title=The Nibelungenlied |series=Oxford World's Classics|publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2010 |location=Oxford |isbn=978-1-84384-084-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Keller |first=R. E. |title=The German Language| publisher=Faber and Faber |year=1978 |location=London| isbn=0-571-11159-9}}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Leitzmann |editor-first=Albert |title=Erec |series=Altdeutsche Textbibliothek|volume=19|edition=6th| publisher=Niemeyer |year=1985|location=Tübingen|isbn=3-484-20139-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Lexer |first=Matthias |title=Mittelhochdeutsches Taschenwörterbuch| edition=38th |publisher=S. Hirzel Verlag |year=1999 |location=Stuttgart |url=http://woerterbuchnetz.de/Lexer/|access-date=5 May 2017| isbn=978-3777604930}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |last=Lindgren |first=Kai B. |veditors=Althaus HP, Henne H, Wiegand HE |encyclopedia=Lexikon der Germanistischen Linguistik |title=Mittelhochdeutsch |year=1980 |edition=2nd |publisher=Niemeyer |volume=III |location=Tübingen |isbn=3-484-10391-4 |pages=580–584}}
* {{cite book |last=Paul |first=Hermann |author-link=Hermann Paul |editor=Thomas Klein |editor2=Hans-Joachim Solms |editor3=Klaus-Peter Wegera |year=2007 |title=Mittelhochdeutsche Grammatik |edition=25th |location=Tübingen |publisher=Niemeyer |isbn=978-3484640344}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |last=Rautenberg |first=Ursula |veditors=Besch W, Reichmann O, Sonderegger S |encyclopedia=Sprachgeschichte |title=Soziokulturelle Voraussetzung und Sprachraum des Mittelhochdeutschen |year=1985 |publisher=Walter De Gruyter |location=Berlin, New York |volume= 2 |issue=2 |pages=1120–29 |isbn=3-11-009590-4 }}
* {{cite encyclopedia |last=Roelcke |first=Thorsten |veditors=Besch W, Betten A, Reichmann O, Sonderegger S |encyclopedia=Sprachgeschichte |title=Die Periodisierung der deutschen Sprachgeschichte |year=1998 |edition=2nd |publisher=Walter De Gruyter| location=Berlin, New York |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=798–815 |isbn=3-11-011257-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cq_SX4b_e9kC&pg=PA798 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Schmidt |first1=Wilhelm |title=Geschichte der deutschen Sprache: Ein Lehrbuch für das Germanistische Studium |date=2013 |publisher=Hirzel |location=Stuttgart |isbn=9783777622729}}
* {{cite book |last1=Tschirch |first1=Fritz |title=Geschichte der Deutschen Sprache |date=1975 |publisher=Erich Schmidt |location=Berlin |isbn=3503007857 |edition=2nd}}
* {{cite book |last=Waterman |first=John T. |title=A History of the German Language |publisher=University of Washington Press |year=1976 |edition=Revised |isbn=0-295-73807-3 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofgermanl00wate }}
* {{cite book |last1=Wiessner|first1=Edmund |editor1-last=Maurer |editor1-first=Friedrich |editor2-last=Rupp |editor2-first=Heinz |title=Deutsche Wortgeschichte |date=1959 |publisher=De Gruyter |location=Berlin, New York |volume=1| isbn=3-11-003627-4 |edition=3rd |chapter=Höfisches Rittertum 1200–1300| pages= 187–243| doi=10.1515/9783110841916.189}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last1=Freytag |first1=Hartmut |editor1-last=Maurer |editor1-first=Friedrich |editor2-last=Rupp |editor2-first=Heinz |title=Deutsche Wortgeschichte |date=1959 |publisher=de Gruyter |location=Berlin, New York |volume=1| isbn=3-11-003627-4 |edition=3rd |chapter=Frühmittelhochdeutsch 1065–1170| pages= 165–188| doi=10.1515/9783110841916.165}}
* Jones, Howard; Jones, Martin H. (2019). ''The Oxford Guide to Middle High German'', Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|9780199654611}}.
* {{cite book |last1=Kunisch |first1=Hermann |editor1-last=Maurer |editor1-first=Friedrich |editor2-last=Rupp |editor2-first=Heinz |title=Deutsche Wortgeschichte |date=1959 |publisher=de Gruyter |location=Berlin, New York |volume=1| isbn=3-11-003627-4 |edition=3rd |chapter=Spätes Mittelalter 1250–1500| pages= 255–322| doi=10.1515/9783110841916.255}} 
* {{cite book |last1=Öhmann |first1=Emil |editor1-last=Maurer |editor1-first=Friedrich |editor2-last=Rupp |editor2-first=Heinz |title=Deutsche Wortgeschichte |date=1959 |publisher=de Gruyter |location=Berlin, New York |isbn=3-11-003627-4 |edition=3rd |chapter=Der romanische Einfluß auf das Deutsche bis zum Ausgang des Mittelalters| pages= 321–396|volume=1| doi=10.1515/9783110841916.323}}
* {{cite book |last=Paul |first=Hermann |author-link=Hermann Paul |editor=Wiehl, Peter |editor2=Grosse, Sigfried |year=1989 |title=Mittelhochdeutsche Grammatik |edition=23rd |location=Tübingen |publisher=Niemeyer |isbn=3484102330 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/mittelhochdeutsc0000wieh}}
* Walshe, M.O'C. (1974). ''A Middle High German Reader: With Grammar, Notes and Glossary'', Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0198720823}}.
* {{cite book |first=C. J. |last=Wells |title=German: A Linguistic History to 1945 |publisher=Oxford University Press |date=1987 |isbn=0-19-815809-2}}
* [[Joseph Wright (linguist)|Wright, Joseph]] & Walshe, M.O'C. (1955). [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22636 ''Middle High German Primer''], 5th edn., Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. The foregoing link is to a TIFF and PNG format. See also the [http://lexicon.ff.cuni.cz/texts/mhg_wright_about.html Germanic Lexicon Project]'s edition, which is in HTML as well as the preceding formats.

==External links==
{{wiktionarycat|category=Middle High German language}}
* [http://mhdbdb.sbg.ac.at/index.en.html Middle High German conceptual database]
* [http://woerterbuchnetz.de/ Online versions of the two main MHG dictionaries]
* [http://sagemaere.libsyn.com/ Middle High German audio literature]

{{Germanic languages}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:History of the German language]]
[[Category:High German languages]]
[[Category:German dialects]]
[[Category:Medieval languages|High German, Middle]]
[[Category:Languages attested from the 11th century]]