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Old Frisian is the stage of the Frisian language spoken from approximately the late 12th century to the mid-16th century. Frisian is a West Germanic language closely related to English. Historically, Frisian was spoken along the North Sea coast from the Netherlands to Germany, but it is now confined to three dialect areas: West Frisian in the Netherlands, East Frisian in Germany, and North Frisian in Germany and its offshore islands. Old Frisian exhibits distinct features that differentiate it from other Germanic languages, shared with English. While Frisian usage declined significantly after the Old Frisian period, there has been a revival, particularly in the Netherlands, where it is now used in schools and courts.123

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