German language in development:historical and graphic aspect

The aim of this study is to describe the changes that occurred in the graphic system of the German language during the Old High German, Middle High German, and Early New High German periods, as well as to identify current trends in German orthographic writing. The key research methods employed include a comparative analysis of the script found in German written monuments and the method of graphematic analysis. The empirical material compris­es written records from the three historical periods of the German language, including the Vaterunser (The Lord’s Prayer). The conducted graphic analysis of German written monu­ments using the Vaterunser as an example revealed changes in the graphic system of the German language across these developmental stages. The presented material may be helpful in lecture courses and practical classes on the history of the German language and theoretical phonetics.