Alcover, Moll i la llengua alemanya

Abstract

This article presents two key figures of Catalan philology in a multiple perspective: Father Alcover and Francesc de B. Moll are tightly associated with the Catalan language, but one should bear in mind that they were also interested in the German language. Alcover learned German in order to communicate more fluently with the German-speaking Romanists of his time. He not only made Moll understand that he would need a knowledge of German for his philological career but also taught him German himself. Moll thus attained a good level of German, which allowed him to teach this language in high-school and to publish a learners’ grammar of German. The present paper focuses on the relation of these two eminent scholars with the German tongue. Their language-acquisition process and a closer look at the German grammars authored by Moll are object of the study, which intends to add some detail on a not too well known facet of these two Majorcan philologists.

Keywords: Mossèn Alcover, Francesc de B. Moll, German language, German grammar, teaching of German.