GERMANIC PHILOLOGY

Knowledge of the earliest stages of the Germanic languages and the history and traditions of the Germanic peoples from the late Antiquity to the High Middle Ages.

Learning of the basic linguistic and philological tools for the study of Ancient and High Medieval Germanic texts.

Traditional /Lectures.

Translation exercise from original texts.

Attendance in this course is highly recommended.

• The reconstructed Germanic protolanguage: methods of historical-comparative linguistics.
• Relative chronology of the Germanic protolanguage: Proto-Germanic and Common Germanic.
• From Indo-European to Germanic: consonant and vowel phonetic change.
• Indo-European and Germanic accent.
• The Germanic languages and their subdivision.
• Isoglosses of the Germanic languages.
• Indo-European and Germanic Ablaut.
• Essentials of Germanic morphology: Strong and Weak verbs; Preterite Present and Athematic verbs.
• The Germanic futhark and the runic writing system.
• Culture and institutions of the ancient Germanic peoples.
• Contacts with the non-Germanic world.
• Names of the days of the week.
• Germanic and Nordic mythology.
• The Conversion and the beginnings of the written tradition.

Text anthology: Atta unsar (Our Father in Gothic), Inscription on the Golden Horn of Gallehus, Second Merseburg Charm, Old Saxon Baptismal Vow, Cædmon’s Hymn, Inscription on the Franks Casket (front panel), selected passages from Tacitus’ Germania, Beowulf, Vǫluspá, Hávamál.

• Elliott, Ralph W. V., Runes. An Introduction, Cambridge [Manchester University Press] 1980, pp. 1-20; 45-75.
• Molinari, Maria Vittoria, La filologia germanica, Bologna [Zanichelli] 1987, pp. 5-76; 77-82; 87; 91-108; 118-135; 151-160.
• Saibene, Maria Grazia/ Buzzoni, Marina, Manuale di linguistica germanica, Milano [Monduzzi] 2006, pp. 75-96; 107-113; 115-122; 127-154; 269-307.
• Lecture notes about phonology, linguistic reconstruction, runic inscriptions, culture topics and a reader with original texts will be available on STUDIUM.

Please remember that in compliance with art 171 L22.04.1941, n. 633 and its amendments, it is illegal to copy entire books or journals, only 15% of their content can be copied.

For further information on sanctions and regulations concerning photocopying please refer to the regulations on copyright (Linee Guida sulla Gestione dei Diritti d’Autore) provided by AIDRO - Associazione Italiana per i Diritti di Riproduzione delle opere dell’ingegno (the Italian Association on Copyright).

All the books listed in the programs can be consulted in the Library.