Low German language
Quick Summary
Low German, also known as Plattdeutsch or Niederdeutsch, refers to the West Germanic languages spoken in northern Germany, distinct from High German. It developed from Old Saxon and the Middle Low German spoken by the Hanseatic League.12
Low German encompasses several dialects spoken in the lowlands of northern Germany, particularly between the Rhine and Elbe rivers. While still spoken in homes and with some literature produced, there isn't a single, standardized literary or administrative form of Low German today. The primary difference between High and Low German lies in their sound systems, especially consonants.23
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Lower SaxonyPeople…Low German dialect known as Plattdeutsch. The latter, a dialect closely related to Dutch, Frisian, and English, is quite distinct from the official High German (see also German language). Some regional literature is still written in this dialect, and it remains the language of the home in much of the…
Read More…Low German dialect known as Plattdeutsch. The latter, a dialect closely related to Dutch, Frisian, and English, is quite distinct from the official High German (see also German language). Some regional literature is still written in this dialect, and it remains the language of the home in much of the…
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Schleswig…portion of Schleswig speak a Low German dialect, while the majority in the Danish portion of the region speak Danish.
Read More…portion of Schleswig speak a Low German dialect, while the majority in the Danish portion of the region speak Danish.
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- Danish language
…common gender, and acquired many Low German words, prefixes, and suffixes from contact with the traders of the Hanseatic League. In the 18th century a mildly puristic reform led to the replacement of many French loans by their native equivalents (e.g., imagination was replaced by indbildning; compare German Einbildung), and,…
Read More…common gender, and acquired many Low German words, prefixes, and suffixes from contact with the traders of the Hanseatic League. In the 18th century a mildly puristic reform led to the replacement of many French loans by their native equivalents (e.g., imagination was replaced by indbildning; compare German Einbildung), and,…
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English languageVocabularyFor centuries a form of Low German was used by seafaring men in North Sea ports. Old nautical terms still in use include buoy, deck, dock, freebooter, hoist, leak, pump, skipper, and yacht. The Dutch in New Amsterdam (later New York) and adjacent settlements gave the words boss, cookie,
Read MoreFor centuries a form of Low German was used by seafaring men in North Sea ports. Old nautical terms still in use include buoy, deck, dock, freebooter, hoist, leak, pump, skipper, and yacht. The Dutch in New Amsterdam (later New York) and adjacent settlements gave the words boss, cookie,
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GermanyLanguages of Germany…known as Low German, or Plattdeutsch, historically was spoken in all regions occupied by the Saxons and spread across the whole of the North German Plain. Although it has been largely displaced by standard German, it is still widely spoken, especially among elderly and rural inhabitants in the areas near…
Read More…known as Low German, or Plattdeutsch, historically was spoken in all regions occupied by the Saxons and spread across the whole of the North German Plain. Although it has been largely displaced by standard German, it is still widely spoken, especially among elderly and rural inhabitants in the areas near…
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