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Revision as of 07:44, 28 December 2005 edit68.221.46.103 (talk) →Sound Change← Previous edit Revision as of 10:39, 28 December 2005 edit undoJ. 'mach' wust (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users10,149 edits Plattdüütsch replaced by Low German; information from Low Germanic languages moved here; etc.Next edit →
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{{language {{language
|name=Plattdüütsch |name=Low German
|nativename=Plattdüütsch
|states=], ] |states=], ]
|speakers=understood by 10 million, native to about 1,000 |speakers=understood by 10 million, native to about 1,000
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|fam2=] |fam2=]
|fam3=] |fam3=]
|fam4=] |fam4=]
|iso2=nds|iso3=nds}} |iso2=nds|iso3=nds}}


'''Plattdüütsch''' (also called '''Low German''' or '''Low Saxon''') is a name for the ] varieties spoken mainly in northern ], southern ] and eastern ]. Also, there are some speakers in the coastal areas of ], and immigrant communities in several places of the world, for instance in ]. '''Low German''' (also called '''Plattdeutsch''', '''Plattdüütsch''' or '''Low Saxon''') is a name for the ] varieties of the ] spoken mainly in northern ], southern ] and eastern ]. Also, there are some speakers in the coastal areas of ], and immigrant communities in several places of the world, for instance in ].


Sometimes, ''Low German'' is used to refer to any German dialect which differs from the standard ], but this is not ] use. It tends to lead to confusion when discussing the German language: in such use many dialects called 'Low German' are actually ] dialects.
⚫ The ]-2 language code for ] is '''nds''' since May 2000.

Sometimes, ''Low German'' is used to refer to the whole group of the ]. However, this leads to the confusion between that group of languages and one of its constituents, Low German.

⚫ The ]-2 language code for Low German is '''nds''' since May 2000.


==Official status== ==Official status==
Since ], Plattdüütsch has been recognised by Germany as a ] according to the ]. Since ], Low German has been recognised by Germany as a ] according to the ].


==Dialects== ==Dialects==
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==Classification and related languages== ==Classification and related languages==
Plattdüütsch is a part of the ] ]. Low German is a part of the ] ].


To the West, it fades to the ] which distinguish two plural verbal endings, opposed to a common verbal plural ending in Plattdüütsch. To the West, it fades to the ] which distinguish two plural verbal endings, opposed to a common verbal plural ending in Low German.


To the South, it fades to the ] dialects of ] that have been affected by the ]. The division is usually drawn at the ] that traces the ''maken – machen'' ]. To the South, it fades to the ] dialects of ] that have been affected by the ]. The division is usually drawn at the ] that traces the ''maken – machen'' ].
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To the East, it is neighboured by the ]. To the East, it is neighboured by the ].


To the North and Northwest, it is neighboured by the ] and by the ]. Note that in Germany, Plattdüütsch has replaced the Frisian in many regions so that the ] is entirely surrounded by Plattdüütsch. To the North and Northwest, it is neighboured by the ] and by the ]. Note that in Germany, Low German has replaced the Frisian in many regions so that the ] is entirely surrounded by Low German.

Some classify the northern dialects of Low Saxon together with English and Frisian as the ''North Sea Germanic'' or Ingvaeonic languages. However, most exclude Low German from that group often called ].


==History== ==History==
] was the ancestor of Plattdüütsch recorded from about ] to ]. ] was the ancestor of Low German recorded from about ] to ].


] was the ancestor of Plattdüütsch recorded from about 1100 to ]. It was the ] of the ], spoken all around the ] and the ]. ] was the ancestor of Low German recorded from about 1100 to ]. It was the ] of the ], spoken all around the ] and the ].


==Sound Change== ==Sound Change==
Plattdüütsch has commonality with the ], the ] languages and ] in that it has not been influenced by the High German ]. Therefore a lot of Plattdüütsch words sound similar to their English counterparts. Low German has commonality with the ], the ] languages and ] in that it has not been influenced by the High Germanic ]. Therefore a lot of Low German words sound similar to their English counterparts.


For instance: ''water'' {{IPA|}}, ''later'' {{IPA|}}, ''bit'' {{IPA|}}, ''dish'' {{IPA|}}, ''ship'' {{IPA|}}, ''pull'' {{IPA|}}, ''good'' {{IPA|}}, ''clock'' {{IPA|}}, ''sail'' {{IPA|}}, ''he'' {{IPA|}}, ''storm'' {{IPA|}}. For instance: ''water'' {{IPA|}}, ''later'' {{IPA|}}, ''bit'' {{IPA|}}, ''dish'' {{IPA|}}, ''ship'' {{IPA|}}, ''pull'' {{IPA|}}, ''good'' {{IPA|}}, ''clock'' {{IPA|}}, ''sail'' {{IPA|}}, ''he'' {{IPA|}}, ''storm'' {{IPA|}}.


The table below shows the relationship between English and Plattdüütsch consonants which were unaffected by the ] and gives the modern ] counterparts, which were affected by the sound shift. The table below shows the relationship between English and Low German consonants which were unaffected by the ] and gives the modern ] counterparts, which were affected by the sound shift.


{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor=#FFDEAD |- bgcolor=#FFDEAD
! '''Low German Consonant''' ! '''Low Germanic Consonant'''
! '''High German Consonant''' ! '''High Germanic Consonant'''
! '''Plattdüütsch''' ! '''Low German'''
! '''English''' ! '''English'''
! '''German''' ! '''German'''
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==Grammar== ==Grammar==
The grammar also shows similarities to the English language. Plattdüütsch declination has only three cases. The grammar also shows similarities to the English language. Low German declination has only three cases.


===Verbs=== ===Verbs===
In Plattdüütsch verbs are conjugated for person, number and tense. Verb conjugation for person is only differentiated in the singular. There are five tenses in Plattdüütsch: ], ], ], ], and ]. In Low German verbs are conjugated for person, number and tense. Verb conjugation for person is only differentiated in the singular. There are five tenses in Plattdüütsch: ], ], ], ], and ].


Example verb conjugation: slapen - ''to sleep'' Example verb conjugation: slapen - ''to sleep''
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|} |}


Unlike Dutch and German, the northern dialects from the participle without the prefix ''ge-'', like the Scandinavian languages and English. This particple is formed with the ] hebben 'to have'. Unlike Dutch, German and southern Low German, the northern dialects from the participle without the prefix ''ge-'', like the Scandinavian languages and English. This particple is formed with the ] hebben 'to have'.


] ]
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===Syntax=== ===Syntax===
The syntax on the other hand is more like German syntax, though there are some differences. The ] on the other hand is more like German syntax, though there are some differences.


==Trivia== ==Trivia==
The Plattdüütsch greeting formula '']'' and its duplication '']'' gave the name for the WikiWiki MoinMoin Project http://moin.sourceforge.net/ The Low German greeting formula '']'' and its duplication '']'' gave the name for the WikiWiki MoinMoin Project http://moin.sourceforge.net/


There are plans to create a computer vocabulary for lower German in order to translate Desktop environments such as ] and ]. There are plans to create a computer vocabulary for Low German in order to translate Desktop environments such as ] and ].


==Resources== ==Resources==
{{InterWiki|code=nds}} {{InterWiki|code=nds}}
There is a lot of information about the Plattdüütsch to be found online. A selection of these links can be found on this page, which will provide a good frame work to understand the history, current situation and features of the language. There is a lot of information about Low German to be found online. A selection of these links can be found on this page, which will provide a good frame work to understand the history, current situation and features of the language.


'''Information:''' '''Information:'''
* An introduction article to Plattdüütsch; * An introduction article to Low German;
* (kind of unprecise, but Ethnologue are not planning an update any time soon) * (kind of unprecise, but Ethnologue are not planning an update any time soon)
* , provided by the Lowlands List; * , provided by the Lowlands List;
* , information in and about various Plattdüütsch dialects; * , information in and about various Low German dialects;
* All known resources in and about Plattdüütsch; * All known resources in and about Low German;
* , by Olaf Bordasch; * , by Olaf Bordasch;
* , by Klaus-Werner Kahl; * , by Klaus-Werner Kahl;

Revision as of 10:39, 28 December 2005

error: ISO 639 code is required (help)

Low German (also called Plattdeutsch, Plattdüütsch or Low Saxon) is a name for the regional language varieties of the Low Germanic languages spoken mainly in northern Germany, southern Denmark and eastern Netherlands. Also, there are some speakers in the coastal areas of Poland, and immigrant communities in several places of the world, for instance in Canada.

Sometimes, Low German is used to refer to any German dialect which differs from the standard 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.

Sometimes, Low German is used to refer to the whole group of the Low Germanic languages. However, this leads to the confusion between that group of languages and one of its constituents, Low German.

The ISO 639-2 language code for Low German is nds since May 2000.

Official status

Since 1999, Low German has been recognised by Germany as a regional language according to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Dialects

The Northern Low Saxon language serves as a common intelligible language in TV and Wireless programmes.

Classification and related languages

Low German is a part of the West Germanic dialect continuum.

To the West, it fades to the Low Franconian languages which distinguish two plural verbal endings, opposed to a common verbal plural ending in Low German.

To the South, it fades to the High Germanic dialects of Middle German that have been affected by the High German consonant shift. The division is usually drawn at the Benrath line that traces the maken – machen isogloss.

To the East, it is neighboured by the Polish language.

To the North and Northwest, it is neighboured by the Danish language and by the Frisian language. Note that in Germany, Low German has replaced the Frisian in many regions so that the Saterland Frisian is entirely surrounded by Low German.

Some classify the northern dialects of Low Saxon together with English and Frisian as the North Sea Germanic or Ingvaeonic languages. However, most exclude Low German from that group often called Anglo-Frisian languages.

History

Old Saxon was the ancestor of Low German recorded from about 800 to 1100.

Middle Low German was the ancestor of Low German recorded from about 1100 to 1500. It was the lingua franca of the Hanseatic League, spoken all around the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

Sound Change

Low German has commonality with the English language, the Scandinavian languages and Frisian in that it has not been influenced by the High Germanic sound shift. Therefore a lot of Low German words sound similar to their English counterparts.

For instance: water , later , bit , dish , ship , pull , good , clock , sail , he , storm .

The table below shows the relationship between English and Low German consonants which were unaffected by the High German consonant shift and gives the modern German counterparts, which were affected by the sound shift.

Low Germanic Consonant High Germanic Consonant Low German English German
k ch ik I ich
koken to cook kochen
maken to make machen
d t Dag day Tag
t s dat, wat, eten that, what, eat das, was, essen
t z Tied, Timmermann No cognate (Engl. time and carpenter) Zeit, Zimmermann
t tz sitten sit sitzen
p f slapen sleep schlafen
Schipp ship Schiff
p pf Peper pepper Pfeffer
v, w, f b Wief, Wiewer wife Weib, Weiber
leev, leewer ove lieb, lieber

Grammar

The grammar also shows similarities to the English language. Low German declination has only three cases.

Verbs

In Low German verbs are conjugated for person, number and tense. Verb conjugation for person is only differentiated in the singular. There are five tenses in Plattdüütsch: Present tense, Preterite, Perfect, Past Perfect, and Future.

Example verb conjugation: slapen - to sleep

Present

Singular Plural
1st Person ik slaap wi slaapt/slapen
2nd Person du slöppst ji slaapt/slapen
3rd Person he, se, dat slöppt se slaapt/slapen

Preterite

Singular Plural
1st Person ik sleep wi slepen
2nd Person du sleepst ji slapen
3rd Person he, se, dat sleep se slepen

Unlike Dutch, German and southern Low German, the northern dialects from the participle without the prefix ge-, like the Scandinavian languages and English. This particple is formed with the auxiliary verb hebben 'to have'.

Perfect

Singular Plural
1st Person ik hebb slapen wi hebbt slapen
2nd Person du sleepst ji hebbt/hebben slapen
3rd Person he, se, dat sleep se hebbt/hebben slapen

It should be noted that e- is used instead of ge- in most Southern (below Groningen in the Netherlands + Westphalia) dialects, though often not when the participle ends with -en or in a few often used words like 'west' (been).

Syntax

The syntax on the other hand is more like German syntax, though there are some differences.

Trivia

The Low German greeting formula Moin and its duplication MoinMoin gave the name for the WikiWiki MoinMoin Project http://moin.sourceforge.net/

There are plans to create a computer vocabulary for Low German in order to translate Desktop environments such as KDE and GNOME.

Resources

There is a lot of information about Low German to be found online. A selection of these links can be found on this page, which will provide a good frame work to understand the history, current situation and features of the language.

Information:

Organizations:

If your organisation isn't listed here, feel free to add it.

Writers:

Musicians:

  • Skik (Drents/Dutch - Drenthe, the Netherlands)
  • Jan Cornelius (East Frisian - Ostfriesland, Germany)
  • Törf (Gronings - Groningen, the Netherlands)
  • Eltje Doddema (Veenkoloniaals - Groningen, the Netherlands)
  • Boh foi toch (Achterhoeks - Gelderland, the Netherlands)

Unorganized links:

Category: