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Language in the Middle Ages

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Übersicht

Mittelniederdeutsches Plenarium 1456

The language in the Middle Ages differs from today’s.
A correct reconstruction is difficult on the one hand and not really useful on the other hand – most of us are unlikely to understand the spoken Low German from the Middle Ages.

It is difficult because there are hardly any texts in Low German from the time.
In addition, even if we have corresponding texts, we cannot be sure how they will be pronounced.
There is no uniform spelling, grammar or even spoken language.

Sound archaeologist Mylène Pardoën deliberately refrained from reconstructing the language in her project – How did Paris sound in the 18th century?

"Nobody knows what French was spoken in Paris at the time. We know the written French, but not the dialects. Many people spoke their native dialects. It is also questionable how loudly they spoke. Until I find evidence, I don't dare to reconstruct language."

Mittelniederdeutsches Plenarium 1456
Mittelniederdeutsches Plenarium 1456
Teil einer Urkunde von 1485
Teil einer Urkunde von 1485 - CAU Kiel

“In godes namen amen. We ghreve Gherart, van der godes ghenaden eyn greve van Holtsten unde van Reynoldesborg, greven Heynrikes sone, unde we ghreve Johan, van densilven gnaden eyn ghreve van Holsten unde van Plone, ghreven Gh[e]rardes sone, bekennen des in desseme breve, dat do uns de stat to deme Kyle hulde deden unde unse man worden, do bedachte we maniche stede truwe unde leve, de se dicke hadden ghedan unde bewiset unsen vorenvaren unde olderen, unde we och hoben, dat se bi uns don scholen, unde gheven alle de vryghehet yn unde mach[t], de se van unsen vorevaren hadden hat, unde darto gans unde vri Lǒbes reyt also vullenkomen, also de stat to Lubeke in binnen hevet, unde vri to brůkende.
Darinbovene schole we nynen
torn bůwen oppe deme hus to deme Kyle unde nyne brucke van deme hus ut afslan.
Vortmer den stat-voghet, den schole we setten mit willen unde vullebort des rades to deme Kyle unde se mit unses vullenbort.
Unde de voghet scal wesen eyn borgher der
stat wonaytich.
Hirenboven stedeche we al er hantvestinch unde alle vriheit, de ein is
chegheven van al unsen olderen unde vorevaren, unde willen se nerchen mede mynnern noch krenke, mer lever beteren, wor we mǒghen.

From the Kiel Charter Book – Document of 01 November 1315 in Plattdüütsch.

Johannes Evangelium 1494
Johannes Evangelium 1494 CAU Kiel

Language in the "Kiel 1242" project

But language is an essential aspect in my project.
For this reason, I have to make a compromise.

I can assume that mainly Low German is spoken.
In the educated upper class and in the clergy, presumably also Latin.
In addition, I will also consider Danish.

Contrary to my expectations, no one speaks Friisk – North Frisian in Kiel in the Middle Ages.
I found out about this in exchange with the Nordfriisk Instituut .

Although Kiel is a member of the Hanseatic League, English, French and Spanish are not relevant – Kiel is too insignificant as a trading partner for that and these languages did not yet have the status and degree of distribution in the Middle Ages that they do today.

Like this website, the project will be available in the following languages: German, Low German, Latin, Danish, English, French and Spanish.
However, in the spelling, grammar and pronunciation that are valid today.

Speech synthesis with AI

I can realize the “Kiel 1242” project using AI.

With the Elevenlabs tool, I can generate most of these languages automatically and in relatively good quality at very low cost. Another advantage is the large number of speakers I can choose from.

In this way, I can ensure that a wide variety of sounds and languages can be realized in the project.
I hope Madame Pardoën won’t hold it against me.

Using the iClone program from Reallusion and its integrated LipSync function, I was able to create a largely lip-synchronous animation.

Sprachenvielfalt - KI generiert mit Bing Image Creator
Sprachenvielfalt - KI generiert mit Bing Image Creator

Title

Aus Kiels Vergangenheit

Author: Arthur Gloy

Publisher: Robert Cordes, 1926


Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

Content text


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currently no source of supply known
(As of: 11/2024)

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Chronicon Kiliense tragicum curiosum

Chronicon Kiliense 1

Asmus Bremer/Moritz Stern

Lipsus and Tischer, 1901


Catalogue of the German National Library

Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3


Munich Digitization Center
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek

The Holsten Bridge in Kiel

Die Kieler Holstenbrücke

Jutta Briel, Udo Weißel

Ludwig Verlag, 2019


Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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The oldest Kiel pension book

Das älteste Kieler Rentenbuch - Reuter,

Christian Reuter

Eckardt, 1893


Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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I am currently not aware of any source of supply for the original from 1893.

The Bayeux Tapestry

Teppich von Bayeux - Wilson, 1985

David M. Wilson

Akzente Verlag, 1985


Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

Content text


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Quedlinburg

Quedlinburg, Has-Hartmut Schauer, 1990

Hans-Hartmut Schauer

Verlag für Bauwesen, 1990


Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

Content text


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Book illumination of the Middle Ages

Buchmalerei des Mittelalter - Otto Pächt, 1984

Otto Pächt

Prestel Verlag, 1984


Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Van Eyck

Van Eyck - Pächt, 2008

Otto Pächt

Prestel, 2007


Catalogue of the German National Library

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The wooden construction

Die Holzkonstruktion - Franz Stade

Franz Stade

RePrint Verlag, 2011/1904


Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

Content text


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(As of: 09/2024)

Title

empty

Author

Publisher


Catalogue of the German National Library

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Under way

Unfortunately, this article is not yet completely finished.

I ask for a little patience.

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Cantus
Cantus
Mystica
Mystica
Dark Area
Dark Area
Altus
Altus
Medieval Life
Medieval Life

Codex Wirzenbornensis -1250

Codex Wirzenbonensis

This missal from the 13th century is provided by the Diocese of Limburg as a digital copy.

Diocese of Limburg

Decameron - 1349-1353

Decamerone

100 novellas by Giovanni Boccaccio.
There are several surviving examples from the 15th century.
Here is a beautiful copy from the French National Library.

Carmina Burana

Carmina Burana

A collection of songs, poetry, partly with religious content, but also with suggestive lyrics.
Named after the Benediktbeuern monastery, it was not built there.

BSB-Hss Clm 4660

The Ship of Fools

Das Narrenschiff - Brant

Sebastian Brant – 1494

A very successful book, of which several editions still exist.
As part of the “Narragonia” project, 12 different editions in different languages are made available as digital copies with transcription and reading text.

Project “Narrogonia”

Book of Kells, 8./9. Century.

BookOfKells01

The original is kept at Trinity College Dublin.

IE TCD MS 58

Gospel Book Henry the Lion and Matilda of England, 1088

Evangeliar Heinrich des Löwen und Mathilda von England

The original is in the collection of the Herzog August Library in Wolfenbüttel.

Cod.
Guelf.
105 Noviss.

The Wolfegg House Book

Wolfegger Hausbuch - Christoph Graf zu Waldburg Wolfegg,

Christof, Count of Waldburg-Wolfegg (1480)

Stephan Hoppe (2023)

WBG Edition, 2023

Catalogue of the German National Library

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Music and Image in the Choir of Medieval Churches

Musik im Chorraum mittelalterlicher Kirchen - Björn Tammen, 2000

Björn R. Tammen

Reimer, 2000

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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The Gospels of Henry the Lion and Matilda of England

Evangeliar Heinrich des Löwn

Bernd Schneidemüller, Harald Wolter-von dem Knesebeck

wgb Edition, 2018

Catalogue of the German National Library

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Carmina Burana

Carmina Burana

Mathias Hackemann and Ulrike Brandt-Schwarze

Anaconda Verlag 2017

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

Content text

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The culture of the monasteries

Die Kultur der Klöster

Grégoire, Moulin & Ousel

Belser Verlag, 1995

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Medieval Garments Reconstructed

Medieval Garments

Fringes, Nørgård & Østergård

Aarhus University Press, 2011

Possible sources of supply:
(As of: 08/2024)

Lexicon - Literature of the Middle Ages

Literatur des Mittelalters

Charlotte Bretscher-Gisiger

Metzler Verlag, 2002

Catalogue of the German National Library – Volume 1

Catalogue of the German National Library – Volume 2

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Introduction to medieval music

Einführung in die mittelalterliche Musik

Marco Ambrosini & Michael Posch

Verlag der Spielleute, 2001

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Kiel's treasure trove of images

Kieler Schloss

Carl-Heinrich Seebach

Wachholtz Verlag 1965

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Half a millennium of Kiel transshipment

Kieler Umschlag

August Lorenz

Mühlau Verlag, 1965

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Childhood and youth in Germany (1250-1700)

Gotik in Architektur, Skulptur, Malerei - Toman, 1998

Rolf Toman (Ed.)

Könemann Verlag, 1998

Catalogue of the German National Library

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Albrecht Dürer

Albrecht Dürer

Klaus Albrecht Schröder (ed.)

Ostfildern Ruit, 2003

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Textbook of Church History

Lehrbuch der Kirchengeschichte

Dr. Alois Knöpfler

Herder Verlag, 1920

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Childhood and youth in Germany (1250-1700)

Kindheit und Jugend im Mittelalter

Fouquet, Jäcker, Schlichting (eds.)

Peter Lang Verlag, 2019

Catalogue of the German National Library

Content text

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Intellectual and social history of the Middle Ages

Geistes und Sozialgeschichte

Richard William Southern

Kohlhammer, 1980

Catalogue of the German National Library

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(As of: 08/2024)

Kiel Lexicon

Kiel Lexikon

Doris Tillmann and Johannes Rosenplänter

Wachholtz Verlag, 2011

Catalogue of the German National Library

Content text

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The Kiel Hanseatic Cog

Hansekogge

Uwe Baykowski

RKE-Verlag Kiel, 2012

Catalogue of the German National Library

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Ut der stat tom Kyle

Geschichten und Sagen

C. Mehlert and P.Nissen

Klaus Becker Verlag, 1907/2022

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Kiel Charter Book

Kieler Urkundenbuch

Gesellschaft für Kieler Stadtgeschichte e.V. (Hrsg.)

Wachholtz, 2020

Catalogue of the German National Library

Content text

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Kiel as an aristocratic city and capital market

Kiel als Adels- und Kapitalstadt

Björn Fricke

GRIN Verlag GmbH 2012

Catalogue of the German National Library

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Monastery book Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg

Klosterbuch Schleswig-Holstein

Oliver Auge, Katja Hillbrand

Schnell und Steiner Verlag 2019

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Kiel's treasure trove of images

Kieler Bilderschatz

Jürgen Jensen

Boyens Verlag 2012

Gesellschaft für Kieler Stadtgeschichte e.V.
Volume 69

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

Content text

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The development of Kiel from an early town to a medieval city

Die Entwicklung Kiels

Anke Feiler

Dr. Rudolf Habel GmbH – 1996
Dissertation Institute of Prehistory and Early History at the University of Kiel

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Crime and criminal law in Kiel in the late Middle Ages

Kriminalität und Strafrecht

Gwendolyn Peters

Peter Lang Verlag

Gesellschaft für Kieler Stadtgeschichte e.V.
Volume 82

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Book of Kells

Bernhard Meehan

wbg Edition Herder – 2020

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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History of the city of Kiel

Geschichte der Stadt Kiel

Jensen & Wulf

Wachholtz Verlag 1991

Gesellschaft für Kieler Stadtgeschichte e.V.
Special Publication

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Asmus Bremer's Chronicle

Asmus Bremer Chronik

Jürgen Jensen

Wachholtz Verlag 1976

Gesellschaft für Kieler Stadtgeschichte e.V.
Volume 4

Catalogue of the German National Library

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Historical cityscape atlas

Historischer Stadtbildatlas Kiel

Jürgen Jensen

Wachholtz Verlag 1986

Gesellschaft für Kieler Stadtgeschichte e.V.
Volume 19

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Music history of Kiel in the Middle Ages

Musikgeschichte Kiels im Mittelalter

Uwe Haensel

Bouvier, 1971

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Kiel Monastery and Faculty of Theology

Kieler Kloster

Martin Redeker

Lutherische Verlagsgesellschaft, 1964

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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(As of: 08/2024)

  • antiquarian
    currently I am not aware of any source of supply

The Middle Ages - Europe from 500 to 1500

Das Mittelalter

Chris Wickham

Klett-Cotta, 2022

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

Content text

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Middle Ages

Mittelalter - Harald Müller,

Harald Müller

De Gruyter, 2015

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Hanseatic City of Kiel

Hansestadt Kiel

Thomas Hill

Wachholtz Verlag 2019

Gesellschaft für Kieler Stadtgeschichte e.V.
Volume 91

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

Content text

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Urban Archaeology in Kiel

Stadtarchäologie in Kiel

Uwe Albrecht & Anke Feiler

Wachholtz Verlag 1996

Gesellschaft für Kieler Stadtgeschichte e.V.
Volume 30

Catalogue of the German National Library

Table of contents

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Beginnings and early development of the cities of Kiel, Oldesoe and Plön

Anfänge und frühe Entwicklung

Helmut Willert

Wachholtz Verlag 1990

Gesellschaft für Kieler Stadtgeschichte e.V.

Catalogue of the German National Library

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