High German languages

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The '''High German languages''' (in [[German language|German]], ''Hochdeutsche Sprachen'') or the '''[[German dialects|High German dialects]] '''(''Hochdeutsche Mundarten/Dialekte'') are any of the [[variety (linguistics)|varieties]] of [[German language|standard German]], [[Luxembourgish language|Luxembourgish]] and [[Yiddish language|Yiddish]], as well as the local German [[dialect]]s '''spoken''' in central and southern [[Germany]], [[Austria]], [[Liechtenstein]], [[Switzerland]], [[Luxembourg]] and in neighboring portions of [[Belgium]] and the [[Netherlands]] ([[Ripuarian language|Ripuarian]] dialects in [[Southeast Limburgish dialect|southeast Limburg]]), [[France]] ([[Alsace]] and northern [[Lorraine (region)|Lorraine]]), [[Italy]], and [[Poland]]. The language is also spoken in diaspora in [[Romania]] (''[[Transylvania]]''), [[Russia]], the [[United States]], [[Brazil]], [[Argentina]], [[Chile]], and [[Namibia]].
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As a technical term, the "high" in High German is a geographical reference to the group of dialects that forms "High German" (in the broader sense), out of which developed [[German language|standard High German]] (in the narrower sense), [[Yiddish]] and [[Luxembourgish]]. It refers to the [[Highland (geography)|upland]] and [[mountain]]ous areas of central and southern Germany, it also includes Luxembourg, Austria, Liechtenstein and most of Switzerland. This is opposed to [[Low German]], which is spoken on the lowlands and along the flat sea coasts of the north.<sup>[]</sup> High German in this broader sense can be subdivided into [[Upper German]] (''Oberdeutsch'', this includes the Austrian and Swiss German dialects) and [[Central German]] (''Mitteldeutsch'').<sup>[]</sup>
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==History==
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The High German dialects as used in central and southern Germany (Saxony, Bavaria) and Austria were an important basis for the development of standard German.<sup>[]</sup>
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The historical forms of the language are [[Old High German]] and [[Middle High German]].
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==Classification==
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High German (in the broader sense) is distinguished from other West Germanic varieties in that it took part in the [[High German consonant shift]] (c. AD 500).
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To see this, compare [[English language|English]]/[[Low Saxon language|Low Saxon]] ''pan/Pann'' with [[German language|German]] ''Pfanne'' ([p] to [pf]), English/Low Saxon ''two/twee'' with German ''zwei'' ([t] to [ts]),  English/Low Saxon ''make/maken'' with German ''machen'' ([k] to [x]).<sup>[]</sup>
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In the [[Alemannic German|High Alemannic dialects]], there is a further shift; ''Sack'' (like English/Low Saxon "sack/Sack") is pronounced [z̥akx] ([k] to [kx]).
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==Family tree==
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Note that divisions between subfamilies within Germanic are rarely precisely defined, as most form continuous clines, with adjacent [[dialect]]s being mutually intelligible and more separated ones not. In particular, there has never been an original "[[Proto-language|Proto-High German]]". For this and other reasons, the idea of representing the relationships between [[West Germanic]] language forms in a tree diagram at all is controversial among linguists. What follows should be used with care in the light of this caveat.
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* [[Central German]] (German: ''Mitteldeutsch'')
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** [[East Central German]]
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*** [[Lausitzisch-Neumärkisch]]
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*** [[Upper Saxon]]
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*** [[North Upper Saxon]]
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*** [[Thuringian Dialect]]
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*** [[Silesian German]] (mostly in [[Lower Silesia]], in [[Poland]])
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*** [[High Prussian]]
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** [[Transylvanian Saxons|Transylvanian Saxon]] (in [[Transylvania]])
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** [[West Central German]]
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*** [[Ripuarian language|Ripuarian]]
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*** [[Moselle Franconian]], including the [[Luxembourgish language]]
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*** ''[[Rhine Franconian]]''
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**** [[Lorraine Franconian]] (France)
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**** [[Pfälzisch language]]
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**** [[Hunsrückisch]]
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*****[[Riograndenser Hunsrückisch]] (in [[Southern Brazil]])
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*** [[Central Hessian]] ([[Hessian dialects|Hessian]])
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*** [[East Hessian]] ([[Hessian dialects|Hessian]])
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*** [[North Hessian]] ([[Hessian dialects|Hessian]])
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* Transitional areas between ''Central German'' and ''Upper German''
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** [[High Franconian]]
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***[[East Franconian German]]
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***[[South Franconian German]]
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* [[Pennsylvania German language|Pennsylvania German]] (in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]])
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* [[Upper German]] (German: ''Oberdeutsch'')
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** [[Alemannic German|Alemannic]]
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*** [[Swabian German|Swabian]]
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*** [[Low Alemannic German|Low Alemannic]] (including one [[Swiss German]] dialect: [[Basel German]])
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*** [[Alsatian language]] (but often also classified as within [[Low Alemannic German|Low Alemannic]])
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*** [[Central Alemannic]]
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*** [[High Alemannic German|High Alemannic]] (including many [[Swiss German]] dialects)
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*** [[Highest Alemannic German|Highest Alemannic]] (including [[Swiss German]] dialects)
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** [[Austro-Bavarian German|Austro-Bavarian]] (''On the use of dialects and Standard German in Austria, see [[Austrian language]]'')
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***[[Northern Austro-Bavarian]] (spoken in [[Upper Palatinate]])
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***[[Central Austro-Bavarian]] (includes the dialects of [[Upper Bavaria]], [[Lower Bavaria]], [[Upper Austria]], [[Lower Austria]] and [[Vienna]] &mdash; ''see'' [[Viennese language]])
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***[[Southern Austro-Bavarian]] (includes the dialects of [[German Tyrol | Tirol]], [[Carinthia (state)|Carinthia]] and [[Styria (state)|Styria]])
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*** [[Cimbrian language|Cimbrian]] (northeastern [[Italy]])
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*** [[Mócheno]] ([[Trentino]], in Italy)
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*** [[Hutterite German]] (in [[Canada]] and the [[United States]])
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*[[Yiddish language|Yiddish]]
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**Western Yiddish ([[Germany]], [[France]])
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**Eastern Yiddish
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***Northeastern Yiddish ([[Lithuania]], [[Latvia]], [[Belarus]], [[Russia]], northeastern [[Poland]])
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***Central Yiddish ([[Poland]], [[Galicia (Central Europe)|Galicia]])
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***Southeastern Yiddish ([[Ukraine]], [[Bessarabia]], [[Romania]])
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*[[Texas German]], a dialect spoken by descendants of [[German American|immigrants]] who settled in the [[Texas Hill Country]] region in the mid-19th century.
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==References==
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[[Category:High German languages| ]]
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[[Category:West Germanic languages]]
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==External Links==
==External Links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_German_languages Wikipedia Article on High German languages]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_German_languages Wikipedia Article on High German languages]

Revision as of 04:50, 17 September 2010

The High German languages (in German, Hochdeutsche Sprachen) or the High German dialects (Hochdeutsche Mundarten/Dialekte) are any of the varieties of standard German, Luxembourgish and Yiddish, as well as the local German dialects spoken in central and southern Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg and in neighboring portions of Belgium and the Netherlands (Ripuarian dialects in southeast Limburg), France (Alsace and northern Lorraine), Italy, and Poland. The language is also spoken in diaspora in Romania (Transylvania), Russia, the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Namibia.

As a technical term, the "high" in High German is a geographical reference to the group of dialects that forms "High German" (in the broader sense), out of which developed standard High German (in the narrower sense), Yiddish and Luxembourgish. It refers to the upland and mountainous areas of central and southern Germany, it also includes Luxembourg, Austria, Liechtenstein and most of Switzerland. This is opposed to Low German, which is spoken on the lowlands and along the flat sea coasts of the north.[] High German in this broader sense can be subdivided into Upper German (Oberdeutsch, this includes the Austrian and Swiss German dialects) and Central German (Mitteldeutsch).[]

Contents

History

The High German dialects as used in central and southern Germany (Saxony, Bavaria) and Austria were an important basis for the development of standard German.[]

The historical forms of the language are Old High German and Middle High German.

Classification

High German (in the broader sense) is distinguished from other West Germanic varieties in that it took part in the High German consonant shift (c. AD 500). To see this, compare English/Low Saxon pan/Pann with German Pfanne ([p] to [pf]), English/Low Saxon two/twee with German zwei ([t] to [ts]), English/Low Saxon make/maken with German machen ([k] to [x]).[] In the High Alemannic dialects, there is a further shift; Sack (like English/Low Saxon "sack/Sack") is pronounced [z̥akx] ([k] to [kx]).

Family tree

Note that divisions between subfamilies within Germanic are rarely precisely defined, as most form continuous clines, with adjacent dialects being mutually intelligible and more separated ones not. In particular, there has never been an original "Proto-High German". For this and other reasons, the idea of representing the relationships between West Germanic language forms in a tree diagram at all is controversial among linguists. What follows should be used with care in the light of this caveat.

References


External Links

Retrieved from "http://mail.textus-receptus.com/wiki/High_German_languages"
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