Standard German language
Quick Summary
Standard German, or Hochsprache, is the official language of Germany and Austria, and one of the official languages of Switzerland. It is a West Germanic language, part of the Indo-European family, alongside English, Dutch, and Frisian.12
While written German is quite uniform across German-speaking countries, spoken German has many varieties. Standard German is based on the written form and is used in formal settings like radio, television, and education. It is relatively consistent, though regional accents are common. Local dialects, however, can vary significantly from village to village.132
The distinction between High German and Low German is primarily based on differences in their sound systems, particularly consonants. High German is spoken in the mountainous regions of central and southern Germany, while Low German is spoken in the northern lowlands. Modern Standard German evolved from Middle High German dialects, influenced by Martin Luther's Bible translation.2
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West Germanic languagesGermanAt one extreme is Standard German (Hochsprache), based on the written form of the language and used in radio, television, public lectures, the theatre, schools, and universities. It is relatively uniform, although speakers often reveal regional accents. At the other extreme are the local dialects, which differ from village…
Read MoreAt one extreme is Standard German (Hochsprache), based on the written form of the language and used in radio, television, public lectures, the theatre, schools, and universities. It is relatively uniform, although speakers often reveal regional accents. At the other extreme are the local dialects, which differ from village…
Read More- West Germanic languagesHistory
Although Standard German is clearly based on the East Middle German dialects, it is not identical with any one of them; it has accepted and standardized many forms from other areas, notably the Upper German sound pf (Pfund, Apfel) and also large numbers of individual words…
Read MoreAlthough Standard German is clearly based on the East Middle German dialects, it is not identical with any one of them; it has accepted and standardized many forms from other areas, notably the Upper German sound pf (Pfund, Apfel) and also large numbers of individual words…
Read More