Discussing "Parzival" By Wolfram Von Eschenbach

In this episode of Canonball we discuss "Parzival," which Wolfram Von Eschenbach completed between 1200 and 1210. The cover art for this episode is from a portrait of Eschenbach by an unknown artist from the Codex Manesse, which was completed in 1304. A German-speaking listener gives the following explanation, clarifying the use of a word in the section discussed from 30:44-33:37: "On the notion of 'Walis'/'Wales' etc.: Maybe this does not refer to Wales as a region/country. There is a rather deprecated German word which is called 'Welsch'. It probably has its origin in Old-Germanic and means something along the lines of stranger/alien etc. It was used to describe, somewhat derogatively, people, things and languages of Romance (or Celtic) origin (from the Germanic perspective). In some parts of German-speaking Switzerland people still use the word 'Welsche' to refer to their French- and Italian-speaking fellow citizens. Wallonia in Belgium is the French-speaking region. Wales in the UK used to be dominated by Celtic culture. And even the German word 'Walnuss' (= walnut) is basically the 'welsche Nuss' because it was brought here by the Romans ('Welsche'). So, maybe in Parzival it refers to folks from Romance-dominated lands." Listen to this podcast on any of several dozen platforms, most of which have no ads, at this link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2132180/share Get a copy of my edition of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at my website: https://www.vollrathpublishing.com