Subprojects
Change of the official writing in a municipal language ? The case of Donauwörth
Processor: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Macha
Description: Did the re-Catholisation of the town of Donauwörth in Bavarian Swabia have the effect of a confessional re-adjustment of the language? This question has been focused on in this project. Donauwörth may be considered as a prime example of the “revolution” of a community defined as Lutheran. The forcible establishment of Catholicism in 1609 was – so it had been supposed − also reflected in the use of linguistic features in the official municipal writings (council protocols, school regulations, etc.).
The research results of this project have been published in: Macha, Jürgen: Der konfessionelle Faktor in der deutschen Sprachgeschichte der Frühen Neuzeit (Religion und Politik, Bd. 6), Würzburg: Ergon-Verlag 2014.
Difference in language use in territories? The case of Baden-Baden and Baden-Durlach
Processor: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Macha
Description: Unlike the ‘complex of consecutive problems’ of project 1, a ‘complex of coexistent or conflicting problems’ has been highlighted here. Possible contrasts in confessional cultural and linguistic respects have been investigated by means of two lordships descending from a common dynastic root, which, however, developed along different paths. From the second half of the 16th century until well into the 18th century, the territories of Baden-Baden and Baden-Durlach show distinctly contrary traits as regards Catholicism and Protestantism. It has been investigated, whether this is also reflected in official writings.
The research results of this project have been published in: Macha, Jürgen: Der konfessionelle Faktor in der deutschen Sprachgeschichte der Frühen Neuzeit (Religion und Politik, Bd. 6), Würzburg: Ergon-Verlag 2014.
Linguistic embellishment of revocation sermons – The case of the converts
Processor: Sarah Horstkamp
Description: In the text type of revocation sermons, which had so far been largely neglected in linguistics, spiritual converts commented on their change of confession. These sermons are significant documents for the fact that converts were instrumentalised for purposes of propaganda concerning the faith. The original question of this subproject has been whether the confessional change also manifests itself linguistically in the revocation sermons. Beyond that, it has been investigated what other confessional “characteristics” converts take up to distinguish themselves as adherents to the “true faith”. The predominantly Catholic sermons from Southern Germany have been contrasted with an Eastern Central German reference corpus.
The research results of this project have been published in: Rütter, Sarah: Konstruktion von Bekenntnisidentität in Konversionsschriften der Frühen Neuzeit (Sprachgeschichte, Bd. 2), Münster u.a.: Lit Verlag 2014.
Differences in language use in text types? The case of inscriptions
In charge: Anna-Maria Balbach
Description: On the basis of German inscription material that had previously been ignored by historical linguistics, the confessionally mixed area of Bavarian Swabia has been analysed as to the use of typical forms and contents of speech. The broad level from spelling to standard forms has been focused on here, always guided by the question: Can confessionally motivated preferences be detected?
Epitaphs have been singled out from the abundance of different inscription types, as these particularly promise information about the linguistic transformation of confessional requirements due to their proximity to the religious field.
The research results of this project have been published in: Balbach, Anna-Maria: Sprache und Konfession. Frühneuzeitliche Inschriften zum Totengedächtnis in Bayerisch-Schwaben (Religion und Politik, Bd. 9), Würzburg: Ergon-Verlag 2014.
