Graphemics in the German documents of Václav IV 1379-1399

The goal of this thesis is twofold. On the one hand I try to determine a system in the use of the graphemes in the documents of Vac1av IV. from the years 1379-1399 and I confront the findings with the use of the graphemes in the Middle Upper German (Mittelhochdeutsch). On the other hand, I compare these results with the use ofthe graphemes in the early Upper German (Frühneuhochdeutsch) as described in the literature, in particular in 1. T. Piirainen, V. Moser, H.Bokova, L.E. Schmitt and V.E. Mourek. The first chapter describes the period of reign of Vac1av IV as weIl as the personality ofthe ruler. The second chapter deals with the court ofVac1av IV. with a particular emphasis on the language situation at the court. Further, Vac1av IV.'s chancellery is characterized in the chapter three as apart of the court and I also shortly describe its history, structure as weIl as the competence of its members. Chapter five is devoted to documents as objects of a study; thus, first I define and c1assify different types of docurnents and second, I indicate the relevant features both in the form of the document and its content. The next chapter describes the status of the early Upper German (Fruhneuhochdeutsch) as it emerges from the literature. The seventh chapter lists the documents of Vac1av IV. between the years 13..