Sterne's literary influence in Germany during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries has been well established by H.W. Thayer, P. Michelsen and B. Brandi-Dohrn. But it is only in relation to the sentimental movement that his strong impact on German language and style has been critically studied and evaluated. And here it was A Sentimental Journey (1768) that contributed. The present thesis was planned originally as a study of the linguistic influence of Tristram Shandy (1759-67). It soon became apparent that the medium through which first and pre-eminently that influence had been exerted was the translation by J.J.C. Bode published in 1774 under the title of Tristram Schandis Leben und Meynungen. This study will analyse the innovations in Tristram Schandi and their derivation from the English of Sterne and, indirectly, from Sterne's predecessors in the tradition of humorous writing. The analysis in limited to the vocabulary and a few significant stylistic features. Syntactic innovations are excluded: they well deserve a special study. The impact of Bode's innovations on the German language of the time will be established mainly by citation from dictionaries. The consultation of literary sources lies outside the scope of my research. The originality and competence of Bode's translation, controversial in intention but far-reaching in effect, will also be discussed. It is not known which edition of Tristam Shandy Bode used for his translation. I have quoted throughout from the World's Classics edition, checking it against those of the Shakespeare Head Press and J.A. Work. Both of these are based on the first and some other early editions. Such differences as exist between the three editions are confined to details of orthography or typography, which would not have affected the translation. Quotations from Tristram Shandi follow the first edition of 1774.