The first German grammar, intended for Russian students (1713): Language material peculiarities

Abstract

The article explores the first grammar of the German language, intended for use of Russian students: “Die Deutsche Grammatica, Aus Unterschiedenen Autoribus zusammen gebracht Und Der in Deutschland Studierenden Rußischen Nation zum besten In einem Compendio herausgegeben von Charmyntes”. Peculiarities of the language material presented in the manual are investigated. Deviations from the traditional German language description scheme are fixed: assignment of three article types; viewing a person as a nominal category, complicating system of verb tenses etc. We append the results of the research conducted by K. Koch (2002) and. conclude, that in addition to J. Bödiker’s work directly referred to in the manual, its author was influenced by the works of linguists from “Fruitbearing Society”: K. von Stieler, J. Clajus, and Ch. Gueintz. The author also relied on French grammar by J. R. Pepliers. The article analyzes the textbook illustrative material. Quotations from the Gospel, Psalms, evangelic hymns, and catechistic literature were often used as examples. However, it also contained a heretical example — mentioning of Lucifer among angels. The latter, possibly, explains the mysterious circumstances of the manual publication. It was issued in Berlin in 1713 without indicating its printing house. The author also hid his real name. We describe its surviving copies in Saint Petersburg and Rostock libraries and conclude, that the work, brought to Russia in the first third of the 18th century, was significant for the national tradition of language description.