Middle High German

Middle High German is a group of German dialects spoken and written in central and southern German-speaking regions from about 1050 to 1350. It is also the name for the literary language represented by texts from that period.

Old High German: The earliest attested stage of High German, represented chiefly by texts from about 750 to 1050. It precedes Middle High German and supplies the earlier forms from which its dialects developed.
High German: The group of German varieties distinguished by the High German consonant shift. Middle High German belongs to this broader group of regional varieties.
Nibelungenlied: A Middle High German heroic epic, composed around 1200, about the Burgundian court and the hero Siegfried. Its language is a central example of the period's heroic narrative tradition.
Low German: A group of German varieties that did not undergo the High German consonant shift. It contrasts with the High German dialects grouped under the Middle High German label.
Early New High German: A transitional stage of German, conventionally dated from about 1350 to 1650. Its emergence marks the transition beyond the period conventionally assigned to Middle High German.
Middle German: A group of German dialects spoken in central regions between Low German and Upper German varieties. Middle German dialects form one major regional component of the period's linguistic landscape.
Parzival: A Middle High German romance by Wolfram von Eschenbach, composed in the early thirteenth century. Its demanding verse illustrates the literary sophistication possible in Middle High German.
Modern Standard German: The standardized form of German used in education, publishing, and public life today. Its spelling and grammar reflect later standardization, unlike Middle High German's regional written forms.
High German consonant shift: A series of consonant changes that distinguishes High German varieties from other West Germanic languages. Its earlier sound changes define the High German varieties that Middle High German continues.
Upper German: A group of High German dialects spoken chiefly in southern German-speaking regions. Upper German varieties provide the southern dialects represented in Middle High German texts.

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