Introduction to the diachronic/historical analysis of the German language, which should enable an understanding of its current structure. Students will also be familiarised with the various sources and methods of analysis. Consideration of the historical development of German should help students to understand how the German language functions today and why.

The students

1) know the periodisation of the German language;

2) identify sources for the study of German language history;

3) know the most important changes in the German language over time;

4) are able to differentiate between the chronological stages of Old High German, Middle High German and Early New High German on the basis of linguistic characteristics;

5) can categorise Old German texts in terms of time and place;

6) can analyse Old German texts linguistically;

7) are to a certain extent able to explain why the German language functions the way it does today;

8) are able to analyse the etymology of German words appropriately;

9) know relevant publications in the field of historical linguistics of German;

10) know useful aids and documentation tools for their work in the field of German language history;

11) know technical and digital resources for their work in the field of German language history.

I. Introduction

II Causes of language change

III Sources for a linguistic history of German

IV. Periodisation of the German language

V. Prehistory of German

VI The Germanic language

VII Old High German: introduction, graphemics, phonetics, morphology, vocabulary. Working with dictionaries

VIII. Middle High German: introduction, graphemics, phonetics, morphology, vocabulary

IX. Early Modern High German: introduction, graphemics, phonetics, morphology, vocabulary

X. Etymology. Use of etymological dictionaries

XI. Translation of older texts: introduction, available resources, practice

‘Evaluación mixta’



-REGULAR TEACHING: The teacher provides an introduction to the different topics of the teaching programme, as well as instructions on how to solve the corresponding tasks. The students themselves should also do small exercises during the lessons where they can show what they have learnt. These exercises are also part of the overall evaluation. Evaluation criteria: Clarity, reliability, argumentation, terminology used, oral expression (grammatical correctness, pronunciation, vocabulary, initiative). These exercises account for 20% of the overall grade. The lessons are held in German.





-ASSIGNMENT OF EXERCISES DURING THE TERM: In order for students to practise and deepen the material covered in class, the lecturer regularly requires practical exercises. They must be handed in on specific days set by the lecturer. The deadlines must be strictly adhered to so that the exercises are accepted and evaluated. If an exercise is handed in after the deadline, it will be accepted and corrected (so that the student can be aware of his/her mistakes), but not evaluated (i.e. he/she will not receive a grade). Nevertheless, exercises may be handed in before the deadline. The average grade is calculated from the sum of all homework assignments required by the lecturer. The submission of homework during the semester accounts for 40% of the overall grade.



Evaluation criteria:

-Presentation

-Formal correctness and neatness

-Spelling

-Appropriate solution of the required tasks

-Written expression

-Correct use of specialised terminology

-Argumentation

-Own initiative

-Serious grammatical errors, e.g. capitalisation, verb tense in the sentence, etc., can considerably lower the mark.





-WRITTEN EXAM AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER: This exam consists of two parts (theory and practice), each of which must be passed separately with a minimum grade of 5.0 for the entire exam to be considered passed. The written exam accounts for 40% of the overall grade and must be passed in order to pass the subject.



Evaluation criteria:

-Presentation

-Formal correctness and neatness

-Spelling

-Appropriate solution of the required tasks

-Written expression

-Correct use of specialised terminology

-Argumentation

-Own initiative



-If a student wishes to waive the ‘Convocatoria Ordinaria’, he/she must inform the lecturer within the first few weeks of the new semester. By doing so, he/she waives the regular submission of homework.



If a student finds him/herself in exceptional circumstances (family, work, illness, caring for relatives, etc.) that could affect his/her participation, regular attendance of classes, etc. in any way, he/she should contact the lecturer immediately in the first week of the semester. Otherwise he/she expressly renounces the ‘Evaluación Mixta’.

• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 40
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 20
  • Individual works (%): 40

-„Evaluación mixta“

Siehe Sektion „Metodología“.

- ‘Evaluación final’

In this case, students must write a written exam consisting of two parts: theory and practice. The theoretical part consists of three compulsory questions. The exercise part consists of analysing two sections of the text and additional questions on the same sections. Each part must be passed with a minimum grade of 5.0 in order for the average grade to be calculated.



The written examination accounts for 100% of the overall grade.



The use of any electronic devices in class is prohibited. This also applies when writing the exam. Any violation of this rule will be penalised with the immediate cancellation of the exam, which will be marked ‘0’. However, private laptops may be used in class, but only for note-taking or applications necessary for teaching.



In the event of offences during the exam, the PROTOCOLO SOBRE ÉTICA ACADÉMICA Y PREVENCIÓN DE LAS PRÁCTICAS DESHONESTAS O FRAUDULENTAS EN LAS PRUEBAS DE EVALUACIÓN Y EN LOS TRABAJOS ACADÉMICOS EN LA UPV/EHU will be observed, which all students must be familiar with.



-If a student finds him/herself in one or more exceptional circumstances, in accordance with the regulations of the UPV/EHU, he/she can, if desired, directly attend the ‘Convocatoria Extraordinaria’ without further ado. An indispensable prerequisite for this is that he/she informs the lecturer of this within the nine first weeks of the semester. In this case, the student has the right to take a single examination, which accounts for 100% of the overall grade. However, this examination may consist of different parts, which must be passed separately with a minimum grade of 5.0 points. This examination can of course also have a different structure and content to that of the ‘Convocatoria Ordinaria’. It can also have a different structure and content than the one that students who have not passed the ‘Convocatoria Ordinaria’ have to take and who have to take the ‘Convocatoria Extraordinaria’. By choosing this type of evaluation, the student waives the submission of regular homework.







-Those students who have not passed the ‘Convocatoria Ordinaria’ must then take the ‘Convocatoria Extraordinaria’. If they have achieved an average grade of 5.0 or higher in the regular homework or in the oral exercises in class, the examination in the ‘Convocatoria Extraordinaria’ accounts for 40% of the overall grade. However, if this was not the case, they have the right to take an examination, the result of which accounts for 100% of the overall grade, but then they must take a special examination. This examination (i.e. its individual components separately) must be passed with a minimum grade of 5.0.



-Those students who have opted for the ‘Evaluación Mixta’ at the beginning of the semester, but who later wish to switch to the ‘Evaluación Final’, will have to take a more extensive special examination consisting of the following parts: theory, text analysis (3 text extracts) and translation into Spanish. Each part must be passed separately with a minimum grade of 5.0 for the entire exam to be considered passed.



Any offences committed during the exam will be dealt with in accordance with the PROTOCOLO SOBRE ÉTICA ACADÉMICA Y PREVENCIÓN DE LAS PRÁCTICAS DESHONESTAS O FRAUDULENTAS EN LAS PRUEBAS DE EVALUACIÓN Y EN LOS TRABAJOS ACADÉMICOS EN LA UPV/EHU, which all students must be familiar with.

Provided by the Lecturer at the beginning of the term.

Basic bibliography

-Bußmann, Hadumod (2008), Lexikon der Sprachwissenschaft. 4., durchgesehene und bibliographisch ergänzte Auflage. Stuttgart: Alfred Kröner.

-Hartmann, Stefan (2018), Deutsche Sprachgeschichte. Grundzüge und Methoden. Tübingen: Francke.

-Hennings, Thordis (2012), Einführung in das Mittelhochdeutsche. 3. überarbeitete Auflage. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.

-Hill, Eugen (2013), Einführung in die historische Sprachwissenschaft des Deutschen. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.

-Nübling, Damaris (2010), Historische Sprachwissenschaft des Deutschen. Eine Einführung in die Prinzipien des Sprachwandels. 3., überarbeitete Auflage. Tübingen: Narr.

-Salmons, Joseph (2018), A history of German. Second Edition. Oxford: University Press.

-Schmid, Hans U. (2009), Einführung in die deutsche Sprachgeschichte. Stuttgart/Weimar: Metzler.

-Schmidt, Wilhelm (2020), Geschichte der deutschen Sprache. Teil 1 und 2. 12. Auflage. Stuttgart: Hirzel.

-Szczepaniak, Renata (2011), Grammatikalisierung im Deutschen. Eine Einführung. 2., überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage. Tübingen: Narr.

In-depth bibliography

-Besch, Werner et al. (Hg.) (1998-2004), Sprachgeschichte. Ein Handbuch zur Geschichte der deutschen Sprache und ihrer Erforschung. (4 Bde.). 2., vollständig und neu bearbeitete und erweiterte Auflage. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
-Besch, Werner/Wolf, Norbert Richard (2009), Geschichte der deutschen Sprache. Berlin: Erich Schmidt.
-Hill, Eugen (2013), Einführung in die historische Sprachwissenschaft des Deutschen. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.
-Moser, Hugo (1969), Deutsche Sprachgeschichte. 6., überarbeitete Auflage. Tübingen: Max Niemeyer.
-Paul, Hermann, (1995), Prinzipien der Sprachgeschichte. 10., unveränderte Auflage. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
-Peters, Robert (2010), „Die Bedeutung des Niederdeutschen für die deutsche Sprachgeschichte“. In: Jahrbuch für Germanistische Sprachgeschichte 1, 237-253.
-Schmid, Hans Ulrich (2009), Einführung in die deutsche Sprachgeschichte. Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler.
-Schmidt, Wilhelm (2007), Geschichte der deutschen Sprache. 10., verbesserte und erweiterte Auflage, erarbeitet unter der Leitung von Helmut Langner und Norbert Richard Wolf. Stuttgart: S. Hirzel.
-Schmitt, Rüdiger (1977), Etymologie. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.
-Sonderegger, Stefan (1979), Grundzüge deutscher Sprachgeschichte. Bd. 1: Einführung, Genealogie, Konstanten. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
-Stedje, Astrid (2007), Deutsche Sprache gestern und heute. 6. Auflage. München: Wilhelm Fink.
-Tschirch, Fritz (1983-1989), Geschichte der deutschen Sprache (2 Bde.). 3., durchgesehene Auflage bearbeitet von Werner Besch. Berlin: Erich Schmidt.
-von Polenz, Peter (2009), Geschichte der deutschen Sprache. 10., völlig neu bearbeitete Auflage. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
-Young, Christopher/Gloning, Thomas (2004), A history of the German language through texts. London: Routledge.

Further bibliography can be provided by the lecturer during the term.

Journals

-Beiträge zur Geschichte der deutschen Sprache und Literatur [PBB] (1874-)
http://www.reference-global.com/loi/bgsl

-Jahrbuch für Germanistische Sprachgeschichte [GGSG] (2010-)
http://www.degruyter.de/cont/fb/sk/detail.cfm?id=IS-9783110220148-1

-Journal of Germanic Linguistics [JGL] (1981-)
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=JGL

-Sprachwissenschaft (1976-)
http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/revista?codigo=9945

-Studia Linguistica Germanica [SLG] (1968-)
http://pub.ids-mannheim.de/extern/slg/

-Zeitschrift für deutsches Altertum und deutsche Literatur [ZfdA]
(1841-)
http://www.zfda.de/

Web addresses

-Mediävum: http://www.mediaevum.de/haupt2.htm

-Wörterbuchnetz: http://www.woerterbuchnetz.de/cgi-bin/WBNetz/setupStartSeite.tcl