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Language Sector > Module
Mixed Lecture/Discussion • Medium intensity

If you're interested in this course...

Old High German (OHG) is a group of Germanic dialects spoken in the Holy Roman Empire from the 6th to the 11th centuries, and although it does not have the same breadth of literature as Old English, it still boasts a number of fascinating texts, such as the alliterative poems Muspilli and Das Hildebrandslied and rhymed poems like Das Ludwigslied and Otfrid of Weissenburg’s Evangelienbuch. The language is necessary for a complete understanding of Germanic Philology, and the corpus offers important material for students of mythology, folklore, comparative literature, religious studies and medieval culture.

Every iteration of this module takes into consideration the language skills and interests of the students, and each month will focus on different texts and progress at a different speed. Anything from the Merseburger Zaubersprüche to the works of Notker Labeo is open for our enjoyment and edification.

Prerequisites: Participants should be familiar with at least one Germanic language (for example: Old English, Old Norse, Middle High German or Gothic).

Required Texts

The instructor (Dr. Isaac Smith Schendel) will choose the material for every iteration after conferring with students about their interests, but a standard introductory textbook, like Braune’s Althochdeutsches Lesebuch (ISBN: 978-3484107076; any edition is fine), will be the standard go-to for groups of beginners.
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Iterations

None (yet!)