The subject German Linguistics IV: Synchronic Varieties of the German Language is one of the compulsory subjects of the 4th year of the Degree in Philology: German Philology. It is part of the German Linguistics module, which is made up of five subjects whose development is closely related to the requirements of the German Language module. In the three previous subjects of the German Linguistics module, the students have acquired the necessary competences for a treatment of the German linguistic system from its articulatory, acoustic and perceptive sphere (German Linguistics I: Phonetics and Phonology), the necessary notions to explain the mechanisms of inflection and word formation (German Linguistics II: Morphology) and the mechanisms of formation and analysis of sentences and texts in German (German Linguistics III: Syntax). In the subject German Linguistics IV: Synchronic Varieties of the German Language, the main German dialects will be analysed phonetically, morphologically, syntactically and lexically, as well as the situation and sociolinguistic function of the dialects (competence, use and status) in German-speaking countries. The presence of dialects in the written (press, literature, internet) and audiovisual (radio, television and film) media will also be analysed and the question of translation/dubbing of dialects in literature and film will be discussed.

Communication in the classroom between teacher and students will be exclusively in German, so it is highly recommended that students already have a minimum level of B2 (the corresponding level of e.g. German language VI) at the beginning of the course.

The aim of this course is for students to acquire the fundamental concepts and methods of German dialectology and to learn to distinguish and understand the main German dialects as an essential part of the German linguistic system (M04CM01), as well as to actively and passively use specific terminology and bibliographic resources and other sources of information, including the use of ICT (M04CM03; G006) as well as to learn and work autonomously and in teams (G005) with the aim of applying the knowledge acquired in their future professional activity (teaching, translation, editing and others; M04CM02; G008).

In accordance with the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) approach, German language competence (standard) will also be developed through its use in the classroom as a language of communication and by carrying out exercises, tasks and projects that will help students to improve their command of the German language.

1. Synchronic variation: Dialect, Sociolect, Umgangssprache and standard language.

2. Distribution and naming of German dialects.

3. Phonetic characteristics of German dialects.

4. Morphological and syntactic characteristics of German dialects.

5. Lexical variation in German dialects.

6. Regional varieties (Umgangssprachen)

7. The social function of dialects and national varieties in German-speaking countries (diglossia). Comparison with the situation in Spain.

8. Linguistic attitudes towards German dialects (command, use and appreciation)

9. Literary use of dialects.

10. Translation of dialectal texts.

11. Analysis and translation of written and spoken texts in the main German dialects.

1. Niederrheinisch

2. Niederdeutsch (Plattdeutsch)

1. Nordniederdeutsch

2. Westfälisch

3. Ostniederdeutsch

3. Berlinisch

4. Ripuarisch (Kölsch)

5. Moselfränkisch/Luxemburgisch

6. Rheinfränkisch (Hessisch and Pfälzisch)

7. Ostmitteldeutsch (Sächsisch and Thüringisch)

8. Ostfränkisch

9. Schwäbisch

10. Niederalemannisch (Badisch and Elsässisch)

11. Hochalemannisch (Schweizerdeutsch)

12. Bairisch-Österreichisch

In this subject an inductive approach will be mainly used to encourage the research spirit and autonomous and team work through projects, tasks and exercises to be carried out; as well as through discussion of problematic and controversial issues related to dialects and their use (transversal competences G005, G006 and G008).

The Lernen durch Lehren (Learning by learning) method will also be used, in which the students become the protagonists and the main responsible for their own learning process.

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 20
  • Individual works (%): 20
  • Team projects (problem solving, project design)) (%): 30
  • Exhibition of works, readings ... (%): 20
  • Participación activa en clase (%): 10

A) Continuous assessment: applicable to students who attend class regularly (max. five absences).

The competences will be assessed by means of the following instruments, each of which will be assigned the percentage of the final mark indicated:

1. Active participation in class: 10%*.

2. Completion/delivery of assignments (face-to-face and non-face-to-face) on time: 20%*.

3. Written work (in German) on a dialect: 20%*.

4. Oral presentation (in German) of this work: 20%*.

5. Final team test in which various dialectal texts have to be identified, analysed and translated into standard German: 30%*.

* The student must successfully pass all five parts in order to pass the course. Otherwise, the final grade will be the grade obtained in the failed part.

Assessment criteria: Level of mastery and application of the knowledge acquired; appropriate use of specific terminology; grammatical and spelling accuracy; ability to argue and express oneself; active participation in class; compliance with the rules of presentation (written assignments, powerpoint presentation).

Formative evaluation will be carried out by giving guidelines for the improvement of the deliverables. After the first delivery, modifications may be made and a second, improved version may be delivered. The last version delivered will be graded, provided that both deliveries are made within the established deadline.

B) Final assessment: applicable to students who cannot follow the continuous assessment or who have waived it in writing to the subject teacher no less than 10 days before the start date of the official exam period.

The competences will be assessed by means of the following instruments, each of which will be assigned the percentage of the final mark indicated:

1. Completion/delivery of assignments: 20%*.

2. Written work (in German) on a dialect: 20%*.

3. Oral defence (in German) of this work: 20%*.

4. Final test in which various dialectal texts have to be identified, analysed and translated into standard German and a series of theoretical questions have to be developed: 40%*.

* The student must successfully pass all four parts in order to pass the course. Otherwise, the final grade will be the grade obtained in the failed part.

The assignments and written work must be handed in no less than one week before the date of the final exam. The oral defence of the assignment will be held in conjunction with the final examination. The list of assignments to be handed in will be published on eGela.

Assessment criteria: level of mastery and application of acquired knowledge; appropriate use of specific terminology; grammatical and spelling accuracy; ability to argue and express oneself; compliance with presentation standards (written assignments).

In order to withdraw from the call, it is sufficient not to take the final test.

Final assessment: The competences will be assessed by means of the following instruments, each of which will be assigned the percentage of the final mark indicated:

1. Completion/delivery of assignments: 20%*.

2. Written work (in German) on a dialect: 20%*.

3. Oral defence (in German) of this work: 20%*.

4. Final test in which various dialectal texts have to be identified, analysed and translated into standard German and a series of theoretical questions have to be developed: 40%*.

* The student must successfully pass all four parts in order to pass the course. Otherwise, the final grade will be the grade obtained in the failed part.

The assignments and written work must be handed in no less than one week before the date of the final exam. The oral defence of the assignment will be held in conjunction with the final examination. The list of assignments to be handed in will be published on eGela.

Assessment criteria: level of mastery and application of acquired knowledge; appropriate use of specific terminology; grammatical and spelling accuracy; ability to argue and express oneself; compliance with presentation standards (written assignments).

Students who have successfully passed any of the assessment tools in the ordinary exam session will be subject - in the first extraordinary exam session - to continuous assessment, maintaining the grades of the parts passed in the ordinary exam session. Unless the student expressly indicates otherwise.

In order to withdraw from the call, it is sufficient not to take the final test.

Materials developed by the teacher, accessible through the eGela virtual teaching platform.

König, Werner (1978). dtv-Atlas zur deutschen Sprache. München: dtv.

Wiesinger, Peter (1982). "Die Einteilung der deutschen Dialekte". En: Besch et al. 1983, pp. 807-900.

Basic bibliography

Besch, Werner / Knoop, Ulrich / Putschke, Wolfgang / Wiegand, Herbert Ernst (ed.) (1982). Dialektologie. Ein Handbuch zur deutschen und allgemeinen Dialektforschung. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York.

Niebaum, Hermann / Macha, Jürgen (1999). Einführung in die Dialektologie des Deutschen. Niemeyer, Tübingen.

In-depth bibliography

Ammon, Ulrich (1995). Die deutsche Sprache in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York.
Christen, Helen / Glaser, Elvira / Friedli, Matthias (2010). Kleiner Sprachatlas der deutschen Schweiz. Huber, Frauenfeld (Schweiz)
Goossens, Jan (1977). Deutsche Dialektologie. Berlin.
Kloock, Marianne / Viechelmann, Ingo (1996). Uns plattdüütsch Spraakbook : op hooch- un nedderdüütsch : Texte to'n Sülvstlehren dörch Lesen, Snacken un Schrieben mit Grammatik. Hamburg
König, Almut (2014). Sprachatlas von Unterfranken zum Dialekt und Dialektverhalten junger Erwachsener (JuSUF). Schriften zum Bayerischen Sprachatlas Band 10, Heidelberg
Merkle, Ludwig (2005). Bairische Grammatik. München
Renn, Manfred / König, Werner (22006). Kleiner Bayerischer Sprachatlas. München
Russ, Charles V.J. (ed) (1990). The German language today: a linguistic introduction. London: Routledge.
Russ, Charles V.J. (1994). The Dialects of modern German: a linguistic survey. London: Routledge.
Stickel, Gerhard (Hg) (1997). Varietäten des Deutschen. Regional- und Umgangssprachen. Berlin/New York.
Suter, Tufekovic, Carol (2008). Wie mehrsprachige Kinder in der Deutschschweiz mit Schweizerdeutsch und Hochdeutsch umgehen: eine empirische Studie. Bern: Peter Lang
Tiling-Herrwegen, Alice (2002). De kölsche Sproch. Kurzgrammatik Kölsch – Deutsch. Köln.
Wei, Li (2000). The Bilingualism Reader. London/New York

Journals

Zeitschrift für Dialektologie und Linguistik: http://www.steiner-verlag.de/ZDL/

Web addresses

http://www.dialektkarte.de/
http://www.staff.uni-marburg.de/~naeser/mundart.htm (Prof. Naeser, Universität Marburg)
http://stade-buxtehude.de/platt/pm.htm (Plattdeutsch)
http://www.ins-bremen.de/ (Institut für niederdeutsche Sprache)
http://niederdeutsch.bhu.de/niederdeutsch/content/de/bundesrat/start.html (Bundesraat för Nedderdüütsch)
http://www.plattnet.de/ (Plattdeutscher Web-Wegweiser)
http://www.koelsch-akademie.de/ (Akademie för uns kölsche Sproch)
http://www.eis-sprooch.lu (Luxemburgisch)
http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/didact/karten/germ/deutdim.htm (Universität Frankfurt, Dialektkarte)
http://www.br-online.de/land-und-leute/thema/dialekte/index.xml (Bayerischer Rundfunk)
http://www.bayerische-sprache.de
http://www.bayerische-landesbibliothek-online.de/sprachatlas
http://www.bayrisch-lernen.de/ (Bairisch-Sprachkurs)
http://www.franzstelzhamer.at/index.html (Bairisch-Österreichisch)
http://www.baden-wuerttemberg.de/dialektkurs/dialektkurs.htm (Landesportal Baden-Württemberg)
http://www.petermangold.de/ (Schwäbisch)
http://www.dialekt.ch/ (Universität Basel)
http://www6.dw-world.de/de/dialekt.php („Dialektatlas“ der Deutschen Welle)