Britannica AI Icon

Quick Summary

Middle High German (MHG) refers to the High German language spoken from approximately 1100 to 1500 CE. It is a West Germanic language that developed from Old High German, notable for its consonant shifts, such as p to pf and t to tz. This period saw a flourishing of courtly literature, including epics and lyric poetry, with prominent authors like Rudolf von Ems and Konrad von Würzburg. The language itself underwent changes, including the unvoicing of final consonants and the reduction of unstressed vowels. MHG literature was largely based on French models, leading to many French loanwords entering the German language.1234

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.