North Frisian language

North Frisian is a West Germanic language spoken by approximately 8,000 people along the west coast of German Schleswig and on offshore islands like Sylt and Föhr. It is one of three remaining Frisian language areas, alongside West Frisian in the Netherlands and East Frisian in Germany's Saterland.1

Historically, Frisian was spoken across a wider coastal area of the North Sea. However, over centuries, local Dutch and Low German dialects replaced it in many regions. North Frisian itself is characterized by a multitude of local dialects, some of which are not mutually intelligible, making a standardized form difficult to develop. The language has been significantly influenced by neighboring Danish and, more recently, by German. Today, all North Frisian speakers are bilingual or trilingual, learning standard German in school and often dialectal Low German as well.21