History of German Language
A.Y. 2019/2020
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.
- 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.
- 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 cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course is entitled Early New High German in the Meerwunder and consists of the following two teaching units, which will be teached in sequence, and an autonomous study unit:
A: German from the beginning to the 16th century
B: Early New High German in the Meerwunder
C: Parallel activities to the course for the deepening of specific skills
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) and will agree with the teacher on the activities and supplementary readings.
Unit A has a propaedeutic function and outlines the salient characteristics of the German language in its development from the ancient to the early new period. Unit B will read, translate and comment on the so-called "Meerwunder", a poetic composition similar to the genre of the heroic song and focused on the events of a young man with supernatural characteristics, son of a queen and the sea monster that raped her. The linguistic commentary will focus on the most representative terms of the evolution of the German language with attention to phonetic, morphological and semantic aspects.
The course programme is valid until September 2021.
A: German from the beginning to the 16th century
B: Early New High German in the Meerwunder
C: Parallel activities to the course for the deepening of specific skills
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) and will agree with the teacher on the activities and supplementary readings.
Unit A has a propaedeutic function and outlines the salient characteristics of the German language in its development from the ancient to the early new period. Unit B will read, translate and comment on the so-called "Meerwunder", a poetic composition similar to the genre of the heroic song and focused on the events of a young man with supernatural characteristics, son of a queen and the sea monster that raped her. The linguistic commentary will focus on the most representative terms of the evolution of the German language with attention to phonetic, morphological and semantic aspects.
The course programme is valid until September 2021.
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 and commenting on passages from the works in the program.
Teaching Resources
The course has a website on the online platform for teaching Ariel (https://mbarsilfr1.ariel.ctu.unimi.it/v5/home/Default.aspx), to which you can refer for notes of lessons and other materials provided by the teacher.
Bibliography for students attending the course:
Units A + B:
W. Schmidt, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Hirzel 2007 (all chapters)
or:
W. Besch/N.R. Wolf, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Schmidt 2009 (all chapters)
Unit C: To be decided with the teacher.
Bibliography for students not attending the course:
Students are invited to contact the teacher for explanations on how to prepare for the exam.
Unit A:
W. Schmidt, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Hirzel 2007 (all chapters)
or:
W. Besch/N.R. Wolf, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Schmidt 2009 (all chapters)
Unit B: The material used in the lesson and the notes made available at the end of the course on Ariel.
Unit C: To be decided with the teacher.
Bibliography for students attending the course:
Units A + B:
W. Schmidt, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Hirzel 2007 (all chapters)
or:
W. Besch/N.R. Wolf, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Schmidt 2009 (all chapters)
Unit C: To be decided with the teacher.
Bibliography for students not attending the course:
Students are invited to contact the teacher for explanations on how to prepare for the exam.
Unit A:
W. Schmidt, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Hirzel 2007 (all chapters)
or:
W. Besch/N.R. Wolf, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Schmidt 2009 (all chapters)
Unit B: The material used in the lesson and the notes made available at the end of the course on Ariel.
Unit C: To be decided with the teacher.
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
Individual study and practice: 0 hours
Professor(s)