The aim of this book is given in the title: it claims to be an introduction to Old Frisian. The need for such a book has long been due, especially one that is written in English since the last introduction to Old Frisian in that language appeared in the late nineteenth century. It is true, Thomas Markey's Frisian (1981), a general survey of the language with much attention for the medieval period, is still available, but it lacks, for example, texts and a glossary. All other introductory books on Old Frisian are in German. Bo Sjölin's concise survey Einführung in das Friesische (1969), which devotes a considerable part of its contents to Old Frisian, offers neither texts nor glossary and is out of print. Likewise out of print is Paolo Ramat's Das Friesische. Eine sprachliche und kulturgeschichtliche Einführung (1976), which is particularly helpful for the historical and linguistic background. Ramat also offers a few small texts with grammatical comments, but his book lacks a grammar and glossary. Finally, Walter Steller's Abriß deraltfriesischen Grammatik (1928) is the only book that is to some extent comparable in outline to the present one, but again has been long out of print.

Frisian