Overview

The Oxford Guide to Middle High German is the most comprehensive self-contained treatment of Middle High German available in English. It covers the language, literature, history, and culture of German in the period from 1050 to 1350 and is designed for entry-level readers, advanced study, teaching, and reference. The book includes a large sample of texts, not only from Classical works such as Erec, the Nibelungenlied, Parzival, and Tristan, but also from mystical writing, chronicles, and legal documents; the selection represents all major dialects and the full time span of the period. The volume begins with an introduction that defines Middle High German linguistically, geographically, and chronologically. Chapter 2 then provides a detailed exploration of the grammar, covering sounds and spelling, inflectional morphology, syntax, and lexis. Each section in this chapter begins with a summary of the main points, followed by detailed paragraphs for in-depth study and reference. Chapter 3 deals with versification, discussing metre, rhyme, lines of verse in context, and verse forms, and includes practical tips for scansion. Chapter 4 offers an account of the political and social structures of Medieval Germany and a survey of the principal types of texts that originated in the period. The final chapter of the book comprises over forty texts, each placed in context and provided with explanatory footnotes; the first two texts, to be taken together with the introductory grammar sections, are aimed at newcomers. A glossary provides full coverage of the vocabulary appearing in the texts and throughout the book.

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9780191851698

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Reviews

The guide will be an indispensable resource for students, scholars and anyone interested in the language and culture of medieval Germany. Ambitious in scope yet immensely usable and aware of the diverse needs of its audiences, it is an important scholarly achievement in its own right and will be the standard reference work in the field for years to come. --Sarah Bowden, King's College London I have been looking forward to this book since I found out that it was in the works. It will be an invaluable resource for students of literature, history, and linguistics who require a knowledge of Middle High German and the linguistic situation of medieval German-speaking lands. This clear and comprehensive volume explores how the language is used in particular kinds of texts, the history and purposes of these sources, the social and historical contexts of language use, and much more, alongside full coverage of current research. It is accessible enough to be read not only in classes but also independently by newcomers to the field, while at the same time providing overviews that specialists will find useful. --Joseph Salmons, University of Wisconsin

Author Information

Howard Jones, Fellow and Lecturer in Linguistics, Keble College, Oxford, Martin H. Jones, Senior Research Fellow, King's College London Howard Jones is a Fellow and Lecturer in Linguistics at Keble College, Oxford. He teaches general linguistics, historical linguistics, and the history of German. His research focuses on the semantics of verbs in the Germanic languages (notably the categories of aspect, mood, tense, and voice) and on bible translation. Martin H. Jones is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of German at King's College London, where he taught medieval German language and literature from 1968 until his retirement as Senior Lecturer in 2009. His publications range widely over the literature of the Middle High German period, with particular emphasis on the works of Hartmann von Aue and Wolfram von Eschenbach and on the themes of chivalry and warfare.

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