Jump to content

Middle High German

From Wiki Knights Errant Life
Revision as of 15:17, 15 July 2025 by WikiKnight (talk | contribs) (Created page with "{{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 |familyc...")
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

Template:Short description Template:Infobox language Middle High German (MHG; Template:Langx or Template:Lang; Template:Langx Template:IPA, shortened as Mhdt. or Mhd.) is the term for the form of High 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 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 (Template:Lang) based on Swabian, an 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 Template:Lang, the eastward expansion of German settlement beyond the Template:Lang 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

German territorial expansion in the Middle High German period (adapted from Walter Kuhn)
Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend
German territorial expansion before 1400 from F. W. Putzger

The Middle High German period is generally dated from 1050 to 1350.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn An older view puts the boundary with (Early) New High German around 1500.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

There are several phonological criteria which separate MHG from the preceding Old High German period:Template:Sfn

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.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The rise of the Hohenstaufen dynasty in Swabia makes the South West the dominant region in both political and cultural terms.Template:Sfn

Demographically, the MHG period is characterised by a massive rise in population,Template:Sfn terminated by the demographic catastrophe of the Black Death (1348).Template:Sfn Along with the rise in population comes a territorial expansion eastwards (Template:Lang), which saw German-speaking settlers colonise land previously under Slavic control.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

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:Template:Sfn

The centres of culture in the ENHG period are no longer the courts but the towns.Template:Sfn

Dialects

Middle High German dialect boundaries

The 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:Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Central German (Mitteldeutsch)Template:Sfn

Upper German (Oberdeutsch)Template:Sfn

With the exception of Thuringian, the East Central German dialects are new dialects resulting from the Template:Lang and arise towards the end of the period.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

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.Template:Sfn There are several important features in this standardised orthography which are not characteristics of the original manuscripts:

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.Template:Sfn In addition, there is considerable regional variation in the spellings that appear in the original texts, which modern editions largely conceal.Template:Sfn

Vowels

The standardised orthography of MHG editions uses the following vowel spellings:Template:Sfn

Grammars (as opposed to textual editions) often distinguish between Template:Angle bracket and Template:Angle bracket, the former indicating the mid-open Template:IPA which derived from Germanic Template:IPA, the latter (often with a dot beneath it) indicating the mid-close Template:IPA which results from primary umlaut of short Template:IPA. No such orthographic distinction is made in MHG manuscripts.Template:Sfn

Consonants

The standardised orthography of MHG editions uses the following consonant spellings:Template:Sfn

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

  front central back
unrounded rounded
short long short long short long short long
close Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket   Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket
close-mid Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket        
mid Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket   Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket
open-mid Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket      
open   Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket  

Notes:

  1. Not all dialects distinguish the three unrounded mid front vowels.
  2. 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.
  3. The Template:Angle bracket found in unstressed syllables may indicate Template:IPA or schwa Template:IPA.

Diphthongs

MHG diphthongs are indicated by the spellings Template:Angle bracket, Template:Angle bracket, Template:Angle bracket, Template:Angle bracket and Template:Angle bracket, Template:Angle bracket, Template:Angle bracket, and they have the approximate values of Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA, respectively.

Consonants

  Bilabial Labiodental Alveolar Postalveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive Template:IPA link  Template:IPA link   Template:IPA link  Template:IPA link     Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket  Template:IPA link  
Affricates Template:IPA link   Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket        
Nasal Template:IPA link   Template:IPA link     Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket  
Fricative   Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket  Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket (Template:IPA link) Template:Angle bracket   Template:IPA link Template:Angle bracket Template:IPA link
Approximant Template:IPA link       Template:IPA link    
Liquid     Template:IPA link  Template:IPA link        
  1. Precise information about the articulation of consonants is impossible to establish and must have varied between dialects.
  2. In the plosive and fricative series, if there are two consonants in a cell, the first is fortis and the second lenis. The voicing of lenis consonants varied between dialects.
  3. 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 Template:IPA), gg, ff, ss, zz, mm, nn, ll, rr.
  4. It is reasonable to assume that Template:IPA has an allophone Template:IPA after back vowels, as in Modern German.
  5. 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 Template:IPA before other consonants (as in Stein Template:IPA, Speer Template:IPA, Schmerz Template:IPA (original smerz) or the southwestern pronunciation of words like Ast Template:IPA), it seems safe to assume that the actual pronunciation of Germanic s was somewhere between Template:IPA and Template:IPA, most likely about Template:IPAblink, in all Old High German until late Middle High German. A word like swaz, "whatever", would thus never have been Template:IPA but rather Template:IPA, later (13th century) Template:IPA, Template:IPA.

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 pronouns of the third person may be used to replace nominal phrases. These have the same genders, numbers and cases as the original nominal phrase.

Personal pronouns

Personal Pronouns
1st sg 2nd sg 3rd sg 1st pl 2nd pl 3rd pl
Nominative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang / Template:Lang
Accusative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang(ich) Template:Lang
Dative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang
Genitive Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang

Possessive pronouns

The possessive pronouns Template:Lang are used like adjectives and hence take on adjective endings following the normal rules.

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)

Case Masculine Neuter Feminine Plural
Nominative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang / Template:Lang
Accusative Template:Lang Template:Lang
Dative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang
Genitive Template:Lang Template:Lang
Instrumental Template:Lang

The instrumental case, only existing in the neuter singular, is used only with prepositions: Template:Lang, Template:Lang, etc. In all the other genders and in the plural it is substituted with the dative: Template:Lang, Template:Lang, Template:Lang.

Nouns

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

Strong nouns

Template:Lang
day m. 		Template:Lang
gift f. 		Template:Lang
word n.
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
Nominative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang
Accusative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang
Genitive Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang
Dative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang
Template:Lang
guest m. 		Template:Lang
strength f. 		Template:Lang
lamb n.
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
Nominative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang
Accusative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang
Genitive Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang
Dative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang

Weak nouns

Template:Lang
(male) cousin m. 		Template:Lang
tongue f. 		Template:Lang
heart n.
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
Nominative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang
Accusative Template:Lang Template:Lang
Genitive Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang
Dative Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Lang

Verbs

Template:Main Verbs were conjugated according to three moods (indicative, subjunctive (conjunctive) and imperative), three persons, two 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 cases.

An important distinction is made between strong verbs (that exhibited ablaut) and weak verbs (that didn't).

Furthermore, there were also some irregular verbs.

Strong verbs

The present tense conjugation went as follows:

Template:Lang
to take
Indicative Subjunctive
1. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
2. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
3. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
1. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang
2. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang
3. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang

The bold vowels demonstrate umlaut; the vowels in brackets were dropped in rapid speech.

The preterite conjugation went as follows:

Template:Lang
to have taken
Indicative Subjunctive
1. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
2. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
3. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
1. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang
2. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang
3. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang

Weak verbs

The present tense conjugation went as follows:

Template:Lang
to seek
Indicative Subjunctive
1. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
2. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
3. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
1. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang
2. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang
3. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang

The vowels in brackets were dropped in rapid speech.

The preterite conjugation went as follows:

Template:Lang
to have sought
Indicative Subjunctive
1. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
2. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
3. sg. Template:Lang Template:Lang
1. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang
2. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang
3. pl. Template:Lang Template:Lang

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.Template:Sfn 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:Template:Sfn

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

  • The verb suffix -Template:Lang 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 Template:Lang is based on OF Template:Lang ("to ride a horse"), but Template:Lang ("to cut in half") has no French source.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Sample texts

Iwein

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 (Template:Circa)

Middle High GermanTemplate:Sfn English translation

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.

[1]



[5]




[10]




[15]




[20]

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.

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 (Template:Lang 'say' 14) which has since disappeared from the language. But many words have changed their meaning substantially. Template:Lang (6) means 'state of mind' (cognates with mood), where modern German Template:Lang means courage. Template:Lang (3) can be translated with 'honour', but is quite a different concept of honour from modern German Template:Lang; the medieval term focuses on reputation and the respect accorded to status in society.Template:Sfn

Nibelungenlied

Manuscript C of the Template:Lang, fol. 1r

The text is the opening strophe of the Template:Lang (Template:Circa).

Middle High GermanTemplate:Sfn

Uns ist in alten mæren    wunders vil geseit
von helden lobebæren,    von grôzer arebeit,
von freuden, hôchgezîten,    von weinen und von klagen,
von küener recken strîten    muget ir nu wunder hœren sagen.

Modern German translationTemplate:Sfn

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.

English translationTemplate:Sfn

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!

Commentary: All the MHG words are recognizable from Modern German, though Template:Lang ("tale") and Template:Lang ("warrior") are archaic and Template:Lang ("praiseworthy") has given way to Template:Lang. Words which have changed in meaning include Template:Lang, which means "strife" or "hardship" in MHG, but now means "work", and Template:Lang ("festivity") which now, as Template:Lang, has the narrower meaning of "wedding".Template:Sfn

Erec

The text is from the opening of Hartmann von Aue's Erec (Template:Circa). The manuscript (the Ambraser Heldenbuch) dates from 1516, over three centuries after the composition of the poem.

Original manuscriptTemplate:Sfn Edited textTemplate:Sfn English translationTemplate:Sfn

5




10




15




20

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 moTemplate:Supchte ſein
Er was ze harnaſch wol
als ein guTemplate:Supt knecht ſol
Eregk der iunge man
ſein frawen fragen began
ob ers erfarn ſolte

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.

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.

Literature

Template:Main The following are some of the main authors and works of MHG literature: Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

See also

Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

References

Template:Reflist

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

Template:Wiktionarycat

Template:Germanic languages

Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://wiki.knightserrant.life/index.php?title=Middle_High_German&oldid=1199"