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Elbe Germanic, also called Irminonic or Erminonic, is a term introduced by the German linguist Friedrich Maurer (1898–1984) in his book, Nordgermanen und Alemanen, to describe the unattested proto-language, or dialectal grouping, ancestral to the later Lombardic, Alemannic, Bavarian and Thuringian dialects.[citation needed] During late antiquity and the Middle Ages, its supposed descendants had a profound influence on the neighboring West Central German dialects and, later, in the form of Standard German, on the German language as a whole.
| Elbe Germanic | |
|---|---|
| Irminonic, Erminonic, Alpine Germanic | |
| Geographic distribution | German-speaking Europe, United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Colonia Tovar |
| Ethnicity | Irminones |
| Linguistic classification | Indo-European
|
| Proto-language | Proto-Elbe Germanic |
| Subdivisions |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
 The distribution of the primary Germanic languages in Europe c. AD 1: North Sea Germanic, or Ingvaeonic Weser–Rhine Germanic, or Istvaeonic Elbe Germanic, or Irminonic | |
Nomenclature
The term Irminonic is derived from the Irminones, a culturo-linguistic grouping of Germanic tribes that was mentioned by Tacitus in his Germania.Pliny the Elder further specified its meaning by claiming that the Irminones lived "in the interior", meaning not close to the Rhine or North Sea. Maurer used Pliny to refer to the dialects spoken by the Suevi, Bavarii, Alemanni and Lombards around the Hercynian Forest and the Northeastern German plain.
Theory
Maurer asserted that the cladistic tree model, which was used ubiquitously in linguistics in the 19th and the early 20th centuries, was too inaccurate to describe the relation between the modern Germanic languages, especially those belonging to its Western branch. Rather than depicting Old English, Old Dutch, Old Saxon, Old Frisian and Old High German to have simply 'branched off' a single common 'Proto-West Germanic', which many previous linguists equated to "Old German / Urdeutsch", he assumed that there had been much more distance between certain dialectal groupings and proto-languages.
See also
General references
- Grimm, Jacob (1835). Deutsche Mythologie (German Mythology); From English released version Grimm's Teutonic Mythology (1888); Available online by Northvegr © 2004–2007:Chapter 15, page 2 Archived 2015-09-22 at the Wayback Machine-; 3 Archived 2015-11-19 at the Wayback Machine. File retrieved 11-18-2015.
- Tacitus, Cornelius (2020) [c. 98 CE]. (in Latin) – via Wikisource.
- James, Edward (1988). The Franks. The Peoples of Europe. Oxford, UK; Cambridge, Massachusetts: Basil Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-17936-4.
- Gregory of Tours (1997) [1916]. Halsall, Paul (ed.). History of the Franks: Books I–X (Extended Selections). Internet Medieval Sourcebook, Internet History Sourcebooks Project, History Department, Fordham University, New York. Translated by Ernst Brehaut. Columbia University Press.
References
- Stefan Müller, Germanic syntax: A constraint-based view, series: Textbooks in Language Sciences 12, Language Science Press, Berlin, 2023, p. 3
- R.D. Fulk (15 September 2018). A Comparative Grammar of the Early Germanic Languages. John Benjamins Publishing Company. pp. 17f. ISBN 978-90-272-6313-1.
- Friedrich Maurer (1942) Nordgermanen und Alemannen: Studien zur germanische und frühdeutschen Sprachgeschichte, Stammes- und Volkskunde, Strasbourg: Hünenburg.
- Tacitus, Cornelius (2025) [c. 98 CE]. "Chapter 2". The Origin and Situation of the Germans. Translated by Alfred John Church; William Jackson Brodribb. Wikidata Q110624218. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
- Plin. Nat. 4.28
- Johannes Hoops, Heinrich Beck, Dieter Geuenich, Heiko Steuer: Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde: Band 7; Walter de Gruyter, 1989, ISBN 9783110114454 (pp 113–114).
This article needs more complete citations for verification Please help add missing citation information so that sources are clearly identifiable December 2024 Learn how and when to remove this message Elbe Germanic also called Irminonic or Erminonic is a term introduced by the German linguist Friedrich Maurer 1898 1984 in his book Nordgermanen und Alemanen to describe the unattested proto language or dialectal grouping ancestral to the later Lombardic Alemannic Bavarian and Thuringian dialects citation needed During late antiquity and the Middle Ages its supposed descendants had a profound influence on the neighboring West Central German dialects and later in the form of Standard German on the German language as a whole Elbe GermanicIrminonic Erminonic Alpine GermanicGeographic distributionGerman speaking Europe United States Canada Brazil Argentina Paraguay Colonia TovarEthnicityIrminonesLinguistic classificationIndo EuropeanGermanicWest GermanicElbe GermanicProto languageProto Elbe GermanicSubdivisionsHigh GermanLanguage codesISO 639 3 The distribution of the primary Germanic languages in Europe c AD 1 North Germanic North Sea Germanic or Ingvaeonic Weser Rhine Germanic or Istvaeonic Elbe Germanic or Irminonic East Germanic NomenclatureThe term Irminonic is derived from the Irminones a culturo linguistic grouping of Germanic tribes that was mentioned by Tacitus in his Germania Pliny the Elder further specified its meaning by claiming that the Irminones lived in the interior meaning not close to the Rhine or North Sea Maurer used Pliny to refer to the dialects spoken by the Suevi Bavarii Alemanni and Lombards around the Hercynian Forest and the Northeastern German plain TheoryMaurer asserted that the cladistic tree model which was used ubiquitously in linguistics in the 19th and the early 20th centuries was too inaccurate to describe the relation between the modern Germanic languages especially those belonging to its Western branch Rather than depicting Old English Old Dutch Old Saxon Old Frisian and Old High German to have simply branched off a single common Proto West Germanic which many previous linguists equated to Old German Urdeutsch he assumed that there had been much more distance between certain dialectal groupings and proto languages Maurer s classification of Germanic dialectsSee alsoNorth Sea Germanic Weser Rhine GermanicGeneral referencesGrimm Jacob 1835 Deutsche Mythologie German Mythology From English released version Grimm s Teutonic Mythology 1888 Available online by Northvegr c 2004 2007 Chapter 15 page 2 Archived 2015 09 22 at the Wayback Machine 3 Archived 2015 11 19 at the Wayback Machine File retrieved 11 18 2015 Tacitus Cornelius 2020 c 98 CE De origine et situ Germanorum in Latin via Wikisource James Edward 1988 The Franks The Peoples of Europe Oxford UK Cambridge Massachusetts Basil Blackwell ISBN 0 631 17936 4 Gregory of Tours 1997 1916 Halsall Paul ed History of the Franks Books I X Extended Selections Internet Medieval Sourcebook Internet History Sourcebooks Project History Department Fordham University New York Translated by Ernst Brehaut Columbia University Press ReferencesStefan Muller Germanic syntax A constraint based view series Textbooks in Language Sciences 12 Language Science Press Berlin 2023 p 3 R D Fulk 15 September 2018 A Comparative Grammar of the Early Germanic Languages John Benjamins Publishing Company pp 17f ISBN 978 90 272 6313 1 Friedrich Maurer 1942 Nordgermanen und Alemannen Studien zur germanische und fruhdeutschen Sprachgeschichte Stammes und Volkskunde Strasbourg Hunenburg Tacitus Cornelius 2025 c 98 CE Chapter 2 The Origin and Situation of the Germans Translated by Alfred John Church William Jackson Brodribb Wikidata Q110624218 Retrieved 2 January 2025 Plin Nat 4 28 Johannes Hoops Heinrich Beck Dieter Geuenich Heiko Steuer Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde Band 7 Walter de Gruyter 1989 ISBN 9783110114454 pp 113 114
