MIDDLE HIGH GERMAN AND MODERN SOUTH GERMAN DIALECTS: PHONETIC AND PHONOLOGICAL ASPECTS

Abstract

The aim of this work is to examine the suitability of modern High German dialects for reconstructing the phoneticphonological characteristics and pronunciation conventions of the classical Middle High German language. The object of our research is the modern High German dialects and literary Middle High German. The subject of our research is the phonemic inventory of modern High German dialects from a diachronic perspective. The methods used include: study of the specialised literature on German dialectology, research into the phonetics of Middle High German using the poetic texts of Walther von der Vogelweide and the Song of the Nibelungs, analysis of the phonetics of Modern High German. The topicality of the work can be explained by the fact that the phonetic-phonological structure of Middle High German remains unresolvable, which can be demonstrated by disputes and doubts in the presentation of Middle High German pronunciation. We hypothesise that a more in-depth study in the field of dialectology may contribute to the resolution of the problem. Conclusion. The phonemic inventory of Walther von der Vogelweide's language and the Song of the Nibelungs reflects the High German phonematic features that determine the subsequent development of the phoneticphonological state in Modern High German. At the same time, the Middle High German language resists Bavarian dialectal features and continues to exhibit the phonetic-phonological characteristics of the Old High German language. The status quo is supported by the Alemannic dialect, which is more conservative than the other High German idioms. The comparison of classical Middle High German to the High German dialects confirms a genetic connection between them, in particular with the Alemannic idiom. On the one hand, however, the classical ‘poetic language’ uses the Alemannic long monophthongs <û>, <î> and <iu>, while on the other hand it maintains a connection to the East Franconian phonetic conventions established in Old High German and does not exhibit a sound shift of [k] to [kχ].