History of German Language
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to: - enable students to acquire a basic knowledge of the historical evolution of the German language in its key stages; - introduce students to emblematic works of different genres of Medieval and Early Modern German literature.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge: - the key stages of the historical evolution of German; - the phonetic, morphological, syntactic and semantical development of the German language; - to understand the structure of contemporary German; - deep understanding of Early New High German. Skills: - ability to read, translate and understand the original texts read in class and to comment on their linguistic aspects, as well as their literary and cultural value; - ability to understand contemporary German structures as the result of diachronic development; - ability to analyze linguistic phenomena in relation to their historic and cultural context; - ability to recognize the linguistic, and particularly semantic, characteristics of Medieval and Early Modern texts.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course is entitled "Early Modern High German in the 16th century Faust of the 'Historia von D. Johann Fausten'", and consists of the following two teaching units, which will be teached in sequence, and a third didactic unit (C) which will take place in parallel:
A: German from the beginning to the 16th century
B: Early Modern High German in the 16th century Faust of the 'Historia von D. Johann Fausten
C: The Minnesang.
Students who intend to acquire 6 CFUs will follow the programme of units A and B; all students who intend to acquire 9 CFUs will follow the complete programme (units A, B and C).
The course (Part B) is dedicated to Early Modern German, approached through the text from which the Faust myth developed: the 1587 printed version "Historia von D. Johann Fausten", from which some of the most significant chapters will be read.
The linguistic comment will allow practice in translation and will focus on terms exemplifying the evolution of the German language with attention to phonetic, morphological and semantic phenomena. This part is preceded by part (A), which has a preparatory function and outlines the salient features of the German language in its development from the ancient to the modern phase.
Unit C will focus on the Middle High German love poetry (Minnesang), with a linguistic and literary commentary on some particularly significant poems.
The course programme is valid until February 2026.
A: German from the beginning to the 16th century
B: Early Modern High German in the 16th century Faust of the 'Historia von D. Johann Fausten
C: The Minnesang.
Students who intend to acquire 6 CFUs will follow the programme of units A and B; all students who intend to acquire 9 CFUs will follow the complete programme (units A, B and C).
The course (Part B) is dedicated to Early Modern German, approached through the text from which the Faust myth developed: the 1587 printed version "Historia von D. Johann Fausten", from which some of the most significant chapters will be read.
The linguistic comment will allow practice in translation and will focus on terms exemplifying the evolution of the German language with attention to phonetic, morphological and semantic phenomena. This part is preceded by part (A), which has a preparatory function and outlines the salient features of the German language in its development from the ancient to the modern phase.
Unit C will focus on the Middle High German love poetry (Minnesang), with a linguistic and literary commentary on some particularly significant poems.
The course programme is valid until February 2026.
Prerequisites for admission
The course, which is held mainly in German, the materials and the bibliography require solid language skills. Students of Degree Courses other than Languages who do not know German or are beginners will not always be able to count on translations into Italian; therefore, if interested in the course, they should contact the teacher in advance to assess any adaptations of the program.
Erasmus and other forms of mobility students are admitted, provided they have solid German language skills.
Erasmus and other forms of mobility students are admitted, provided they have solid German language skills.
Teaching methods
The course adopts the following teaching methods: frontal lessons; reading, translating and commenting on passages from the texts in program.
Teaching Resources
The course has a website on the online platform for teaching Ariel (https://pspazzalislt.ariel.ctu.unimi.it), to which you can refer for notes of lessons and other materials provided by the teacher.
Bibliography:
Units A:
W. Schmidt, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Hirzel 2007 (all chapters)
or:
Peter Ernst, Deutsche Sprachgeschichte, UTB 2005 (all chapters)
or:
W. Besch/N.R. Wolf, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Schmidt 2009 (all chapters)
Unit B: Lecture notes (uploaded onto Ariel at the end of the course)
Unit C: Thomas Bein, Deutschsprachige Lyrik des Mittelalters. Berlin 2017, chapters A4 and B3.
Bibliography:
Units A:
W. Schmidt, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Hirzel 2007 (all chapters)
or:
Peter Ernst, Deutsche Sprachgeschichte, UTB 2005 (all chapters)
or:
W. Besch/N.R. Wolf, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Schmidt 2009 (all chapters)
Unit B: Lecture notes (uploaded onto Ariel at the end of the course)
Unit C: Thomas Bein, Deutschsprachige Lyrik des Mittelalters. Berlin 2017, chapters A4 and B3.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an individual interview, which includes questions asked by the teacher, interactions between teacher and student. The duration of the interview varies according to the number of the teaching units attended by the student.
The colloquium aims to ascertain the knowledge of the history of the German language from the beginning to the present day and of the passages of the works dealt with in the lesson, with particular attention to the terms commented on. The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, and the student has the right to refuse it (in which case it will be recorded as "ritirato", "withdrawn").
International students or incoming Erasmus students are invited to contact the teacher as soon as possible. Examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in agreement with the competent office.
The colloquium aims to ascertain the knowledge of the history of the German language from the beginning to the present day and of the passages of the works dealt with in the lesson, with particular attention to the terms commented on. The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, and the student has the right to refuse it (in which case it will be recorded as "ritirato", "withdrawn").
International students or incoming Erasmus students are invited to contact the teacher as soon as possible. Examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in agreement with the competent office.
Unita' didattica A
L-LIN/14 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - GERMAN - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-LIN/14 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - GERMAN - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-LIN/14 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - GERMAN - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours