Low German languages

Low German (in Low German: Plattdüütsch or Nedderdüütsch) is any of a variety of West Germanic languages spoken in northern Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. It also includes Afrikaans, which is spoken in South Africa, and Plautdietsch, which is spoken by Mennonite communities in North and South America. Low German was the lingua franca of the Hanseatic League.

Related Topics:
West Germanic - Language - Germany - Netherlands - Belgium - Afrikaans - South Africa - Plautdietsch - Mennonite - North - South America - Lingua franca - Hanseatic League

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Low German is also sometimes used to refer to any German dialect which differs from the official German language, but this is not linguistic use. It tends to lead to confusion when discussing the German language: in such use many dialects called 'Low German' are actually High German dialects.

Related Topics:
German language - Linguistic - High German

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The term "Low German" is often restricted to Low Saxon, one of its three main branches, or extended to all of West Germanic except for High German.

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We cut a middle path in this article. The other branches of Low German (besides Low Saxon) are Low Franconian and East Low German. The other branches of West Germanic (besides Low German and High German) are Frisian and English.

Related Topics:
Low Franconian - East Low German - Frisian - English

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The northern dialects of Low German (Low Saxon and Dutch) can also be classified together with English and Frisian as the North Sea Germanic or Ingvaeonic languages.

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Low German is distinguished from High German principally in that the latter underwent a consonant shift in the 700s and 800s.

Related Topics:
Consonant - 700s - 800s

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In High German, /k/, /p/, /t/ became /(k)x/ (only in some dialects), /pf/, /ts/ in initial positions and /x/, /f/, /s/ in medial and final positions.

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In Low German (as well as English and Frisian), the old /k/, /p/, /t/ are still there, as in English "better", Dutch "beter", German "besser".

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Low German (North Saxon):

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Ik segg et/dat up Nedderdüütsch/Platt(düütsch).

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Low German (Mennonite Plautdietsch):

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Ekj/Etj saje et op Nadadietsch/Plautdietsch.

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Standard Dutch:

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Ik zeg het in het Nederduits/Platduits.

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High (Standard) German:

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Ich sage es auf Niederdeutsch/Platt(deutsch).

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English:

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I say it in Low German/Flat Dutch.

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