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{{short description|West Germanic language family}} {{short description|West Germanic language family}}
{{pp-pc1}}
{{about|the family of regional language varieties|the Standard High German language|Standard German}} {{about|the family of regional language varieties|the Standard High German language|Standard German}}
{{pp-pc}}
{{Infobox language family {{Infobox language family
|name=High German dialects | name = High German
|region=], ], ], ], ], ], ] | region = ], ], ], ], ], ], ]
*] and ] ] *] and ] ]
*] and ] *]
*] in ]
*] *]
*] *]
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*] *]
*] and ] *] and ]
| familycolor = Indo-European
|ethnicity=]<br>]<br>]
| fam2 = ]
|familycolor=Indo-European
|fam2=] | fam3 = ]
|fam3=] | fam4 = ]
| child1 = ]
|fam4=]
| child2 = ]
|child1=]
| glotto = high1289
|child2=]
|child3=] | glottorefname = High German
|glotto=high1289
|glottorefname=High German
}} }}


The '''High German dialects''' ({{lang-de|hochdeutsche Mundarten}}), or simply '''High German''' ({{lang|de|Hochdeutsch}}); not to be confused with ] which is commonly also called ''High German'', comprise the ] of ] spoken south of the ] and ] ]es in central and southern ], ], ], ], ], and eastern ], as well as in neighbouring portions of ] (] and northern ]), ] (]), the ] (]), and ] (]). They are also spoken in ] in ], ], ], the ], ], ], ], ], and ]. The '''High German languages''' ({{langx|de|hochdeutsche Mundarten}}, i.e. ''High German dialects''), or simply '''High German''' ({{lang|de|Hochdeutsch}} {{IPA|de|ˈhoːxˌdɔɪ̯t͡ʃ||audio=De-Hochdeutsch.ogg}}) – not to be confused with ] which is commonly also called "High German" – comprise the ] of ] spoken south of the ] and ] ]es in central and southern ], ], ], ], ], and eastern ], as well as in neighbouring portions of ] (] and northern ]), ] (]), the ] (]), and ] (]). They are also spoken in ]s in ], ], ], the ], ], ], ], ], and ].


High German is marked by the ], separating it from ] (Low Saxon) and ] (including ]) within the continental ] ]. High German is marked by the ], separating it from ] (Low Saxon) and ] (including ]) within the continental ] ].


==Classification== ==Classification==
[[File:Map of German dialects (according to Wiesinger, Heeroma & König).png|350px|thumb|German dialect area, defined as all West Germanic varieties using Standard German as their literary language. <ref>W. Heeringa: ''Measuring Dialect Pronunciation Differences using Levenshtein Distance.'' University of Groningen, 2009, pp. 232–234.</ref><ref>Peter Wiesinger: ''Die Einteilung der deutschen Dialekte.'' In: Werner Besch, Ulrich Knoop, Wolfgang Putschke, Herbert Ernst Wiegand (Hrsg.): ''Dialektologie. Ein Handbuch zur deutschen und allgemeinen Dialektforschung,'' 2.&nbsp;Halbband. de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1983, ISBN 3-11-009571-8, pp. 807–900.</ref><ref>Werner König: ''dtv-Atlas Deutsche Sprache.'' 19. Auflage. dtv, München 2019, ISBN 978-3-423-03025-0, pp. 230.</ref><ref>C. Giesbers: ''Dialecten op de grens van twee talen.'' Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, 2008, pp. 233.</ref>): ], defined as all ] varieties using ] as their literary language:<ref>W. Heeringa: ''Measuring Dialect Pronunciation Differences using Levenshtein Distance.'' University of Groningen, 2009, pp. 232–234.</ref><ref>Peter Wiesinger: ''Die Einteilung der deutschen Dialekte.'' In: Werner Besch, Ulrich Knoop, Wolfgang Putschke, Herbert Ernst Wiegand (Hrsg.): ''Dialektologie. Ein Handbuch zur deutschen und allgemeinen Dialektforschung,'' 2.&nbsp;Halbband. de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1983, ISBN 3-11-009571-8, pp. 807–900.</ref><ref>Werner König: ''dtv-Atlas Deutsche Sprache.'' 19. Auflage. dtv, München 2019, ISBN 978-3-423-03025-0, pp. 230.</ref><ref>C. Giesbers: ''Dialecten op de grens van twee talen.'' Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, 2008, pp. 233.</ref>


{{legend|#8c506e|]}}
{{legend|#df772a|]}} {{legend|#df772a|]}}
{{legend|#8c506e|]}}
{{legend|#3e9abc|] or ]}} {{legend|#3e9abc|] or ]}}
{{legend|#f5ef47|]}} {{legend|#f5ef47|]}}
Line 39: Line 38:
As a technical term, the "high" in High German is a geographical reference to the group of dialects that forms "High German" (i.e. "Highland" German), out of which developed ], ] and ]. It refers to the ] ('']'') and ] areas of central and southern Germany; it also includes Luxembourg, Austria, Liechtenstein, and most of Switzerland. This is opposed to ], which is spoken in the lowlands and along the flat sea coasts of the ].<ref>Compare the definition of "high" in the Oxford English Dictionary (Concise Edition): "... situated far above ground, sealevel, etc; upper, inland, as ... High German".</ref> As a technical term, the "high" in High German is a geographical reference to the group of dialects that forms "High German" (i.e. "Highland" German), out of which developed ], ] and ]. It refers to the ] ('']'') and ] areas of central and southern Germany; it also includes Luxembourg, Austria, Liechtenstein, and most of Switzerland. This is opposed to ], which is spoken in the lowlands and along the flat sea coasts of the ].<ref>Compare the definition of "high" in the Oxford English Dictionary (Concise Edition): "... situated far above ground, sealevel, etc; upper, inland, as ... High German".</ref>


High German in this broader sense can be subdivided into ] (''Oberdeutsch''), ] (''Mitteldeutsch'', this includes ], which itself is now a ]), and ], which is a transitional dialect between the two.<ref>Russ, Charles. The Dialects of Modern German: A Linguistic Survey. Routledge, 1989</ref> High German can be subdivided into ] (''Oberdeutsch'') and ] (''Mitteldeutsch'', this includes ], which itself is now a ]).<ref>E.g.
* Hermann Niebaum, Jürgen Macha, ''Einführung in die Dialektologie des Deutschen'' (series: ''Germanistische Arbeitshefte''), 2nd ed., Max Niemeyer Verlag, Tübingen, 2006, p. 220 <!-- : „In den ''niederdeutschen'' (und ''niederfränkischen'') Mundarten , während in den ''hochdeutschen'' Mundarten (unter diesem Terminus werden die ''mitteldeutschen'' und ''oberdeutschen'' Mundarten zusammengefasst) “ -->
* Gabriele Graefen, Martina Liedke-Göbel, ''Germanistische Sprachwissenschaft: Deutsch als Erst-, Zweit- oder Fremdsprache'', 3rd ed., 2020, p. 31.

For the Middle High German time e.g.:
* Howard Jones & Martin H. Jones, ''The Oxford Guide to Middle High German'', Oxford University Press, 2019, p. 7
* M. O'C. Walshe, ''A Middle High German reader with grammar, notes, and glossary'', Oxford University Press, 1974, p. 3
</ref>

High German varieties are distinguished from other West Germanic varieties in that they took part in the ] ({{circa|AD 500}}) to various degrees. To see this, compare the following:<ref>]. Old English and its Closest Relatives. Routledge, 1994.</ref>{{page needed|date=August 2023}}


High German is distinguished from other West Germanic varieties in that it took part in the ] (c. AD 500). To see this, compare the following:<ref>]. Old English and its Closest Relatives. Routledge, 1994.</ref>
{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable"
! ] !! ] !! Standard High German !! Consonant shift ! ] !! ] !! Standard High German !! Consonant shift
Line 51: Line 58:
| make || maken || machen || {{IPA|}} to {{IPA|}} | make || maken || machen || {{IPA|}} to {{IPA|}}
|} |}
In the southernmost ] dialects, there is a further shift; ''Sack'' (like English/Low German "sack/Sack") is pronounced {{IPA|}} ({{IPA|}} to {{IPA|}}). In the southernmost ] dialects, there is a further shift: ''Sack'' (like English/Low German "sack/Sack") is pronounced {{IPA|}} ({{IPA|}} to {{IPA|}}).


==History== ==History==
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] evolved from about 500 AD. Around 1200 the ] and ] varieties of ] became dominant as a court and poetry language ('']'') under the rule of the House of ]. ] evolved from about 500 AD. Around 1200 the ] and ] varieties of ] became dominant as a court and poetry language ('']'') under the rule of the House of ].


The term "High German" as spoken in central and southern Germany (], ], ], ]) and ] was first documented in the 15th century. Gradually driving back Low German variants since the ], the ] varieties, especially the ] of the ], formed an important basis for the development of Standard German.<ref>Russ, Charles. The German Language Today: A Linguistic Introduction. Routledge, 1994.</ref> The term "High German" as spoken in central and southern Germany (], ], ], ]) and ] was first documented in the 15th century.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}
Gradually driving back Low German variants since the ], the ] varieties, especially the ] of the ], formed an important basis for the development of Standard German.<ref>Russ, Charles V.J. ''The German Language Today: A Linguistic Introduction.'' Routledge, 1994, p. 15f.</ref>


==Family== ==Family==
{{Unreferenced section|date=February 2024}}
Divisions between subfamilies within Germanic are rarely precisely defined, because most form continuous clines, with adjacent ]s being mutually intelligible and more separated ones not. In particular, there has never been an original "]". For this and other reasons, the idea of representing the relationships between ] 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. Divisions between subfamilies within Germanic are rarely precisely defined, because most form continuous clines, with adjacent ]s being mutually intelligible and more separated ones not. In particular, there has never been an original "]". For this and other reasons, the idea of representing the relationships between ] 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.
* ''']''' (German: {{lang|de|Mitteldeutsch}})
** '']''
*** ]
*** ], including ]
*** ]
*** ]
*** ] (now mostly spoken by the ] in ])
*** ] (nearly extinct)
** '']''
*** ]
**** ]
**** ], including ]
***** ] (from the ])
*** ]
**** ], including ] (France)
***** ] (in the ] and ])
**** ]
* ''']''', in the transitional area between Central and Upper German
** '']''
** '']''
* ''']''' (German: {{lang|de|Oberdeutsch}})
** '']'' in the broad sense or West Upper German (German: ''Westoberdeutsch''), including ] dialects
*** ]
*** ] in the strict sense
**** ], including ] and ]
**** ]
**** ]
** '']'' or East Upper German (German: ''Ostoberdeutsch''), including ] dialects
*** ]
*** ], including ]
*** ], including ] in ], Italy
**** ]
*** ], nearly extinct
*** ] (in ] and the ])
** '']'', extinct
* ''']''', evolved from Middle High German


{{tree list}}
* High German
** ''']''' (German: {{lang|de|Mitteldeutsch}})
*** '']''
**** ]
**** ], including ]
**** ]
**** ]
**** ] (now mostly spoken by the ] in ])
**** ] (nearly extinct)
*** '']''
**** ]
***** ]
***** ], including ]
****** ] (from the ])
**** ]
***** ], including ] (France)
****** ] (in the ] and ])
***** ]
** ''']''', in the transitional area between Central and Upper German
*** '']''
*** '']''
** ''']''' (German: {{lang|de|Oberdeutsch}})
*** '']'' in the broad sense or West Upper German (German: ''Westoberdeutsch''), including ] dialects
**** ]
**** ] in the strict sense
***** ], including ] and ]
***** ]
***** ]
*** '']'' or East Upper German (German: ''Ostoberdeutsch''), including ] dialects
**** ]
**** ], including ]
**** ], including ] in ], Italy
***** ]
**** ], nearly extinct
**** ] (in ] and the ])
*** '']'', extinct
** ''']''', evolved from Middle High German
{{tree list/end}}


==See also== ==See also==
Line 110: Line 123:


{{Germanic languages}} {{Germanic languages}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:High German Languages}} {{DEFAULTSORT:High German Languages}}

Latest revision as of 00:20, 6 November 2024

West Germanic language family This article is about the family of regional language varieties. For the Standard High German language, see Standard German.

High German
Geographic
distribution		German-speaking Europe, United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Colonia Tovar
Linguistic classificationIndo-European
Subdivisions
Language codes
Glottologhigh1289

The High German languages (German: hochdeutsche Mundarten, i.e. High German dialects), or simply High German (Hochdeutsch [ˈhoːxˌdɔɪ̯t͡ʃ] ) – not to be confused with Standard High German which is commonly also called "High German" – comprise the varieties of German spoken south of the Benrath and Uerdingen isoglosses in central and southern Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and eastern Belgium, as well as in neighbouring portions of France (Alsace and northern Lorraine), Italy (South Tyrol), the Czech Republic (Bohemia), and Poland (Upper Silesia). They are also spoken in diasporas in Romania, Russia, Canada, the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, and Namibia.

High German is marked by the High German consonant shift, separating it from Low German (Low Saxon) and Low Franconian (including Dutch) within the continental West Germanic dialect continuum.

Classification

German dialect area, defined as all West Germanic varieties using Standard German as their literary language:   Frisian   Low Franconian   Low Saxon or Low German   Central German   Upper German

As a technical term, the "high" in High German is a geographical reference to the group of dialects that forms "High German" (i.e. "Highland" German), out of which developed Standard German, Yiddish and Luxembourgish. It refers to the Central Uplands (Mittelgebirge) and Alpine 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 in the lowlands and along the flat sea coasts of the North German Plain.

High German can be subdivided into Upper German (Oberdeutsch) and Central or Middle German (Mitteldeutsch, this includes Luxembourgish, which itself is now a standard language).

High German varieties are distinguished from other West Germanic varieties in that they took part in the High German consonant shift (c. AD 500) to various degrees. To see this, compare the following:

English Low German Standard High German Consonant shift
pan Pann Pfanne to
two twee zwei to
make maken machen to

In the southernmost High Alemannic dialects, there is a further shift: Sack (like English/Low German "sack/Sack") is pronounced ( to ).

History

See also: Theodiscus

Old High German evolved from about 500 AD. Around 1200 the Swabian and East Franconian varieties of Middle High German became dominant as a court and poetry language (Minnesang) under the rule of the House of Hohenstaufen.

The term "High German" as spoken in central and southern Germany (Upper Saxony, Franconia, Swabia, Bavaria) and Austria was first documented in the 15th century.

Gradually driving back Low German variants since the Early modern period, the Early New High German varieties, especially the East Central German of the Luther Bible, formed an important basis for the development of Standard German.

Family

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Divisions between subfamilies within Germanic are rarely precisely defined, because 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.

See also

References

  1. W. Heeringa: Measuring Dialect Pronunciation Differences using Levenshtein Distance. University of Groningen, 2009, pp. 232–234.
  2. Peter Wiesinger: Die Einteilung der deutschen Dialekte. In: Werner Besch, Ulrich Knoop, Wolfgang Putschke, Herbert Ernst Wiegand (Hrsg.): Dialektologie. Ein Handbuch zur deutschen und allgemeinen Dialektforschung, 2. Halbband. de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1983, ISBN 3-11-009571-8, pp. 807–900.
  3. Werner König: dtv-Atlas Deutsche Sprache. 19. Auflage. dtv, München 2019, ISBN 978-3-423-03025-0, pp. 230.
  4. C. Giesbers: Dialecten op de grens van twee talen. Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, 2008, pp. 233.
  5. Compare the definition of "high" in the Oxford English Dictionary (Concise Edition): "... situated far above ground, sealevel, etc; upper, inland, as ... High German".
  6. E.g.
    • Hermann Niebaum, Jürgen Macha, Einführung in die Dialektologie des Deutschen (series: Germanistische Arbeitshefte), 2nd ed., Max Niemeyer Verlag, Tübingen, 2006, p. 220
    • Gabriele Graefen, Martina Liedke-Göbel, Germanistische Sprachwissenschaft: Deutsch als Erst-, Zweit- oder Fremdsprache, 3rd ed., 2020, p. 31.
    For the Middle High German time e.g.:
    • Howard Jones & Martin H. Jones, The Oxford Guide to Middle High German, Oxford University Press, 2019, p. 7
    • M. O'C. Walshe, A Middle High German reader with grammar, notes, and glossary, Oxford University Press, 1974, p. 3
  7. Robinson, Orrin. Old English and its Closest Relatives. Routledge, 1994.
  8. Russ, Charles V.J. The German Language Today: A Linguistic Introduction. Routledge, 1994, p. 15f.

Further reading

  • Friedrich Maurer (1942), Nordgermanen und Alemannen: Studien zur germanischen und frühdeutschen Sprachgeschichte, Stammes- und Volkskunde, Strasbourg: Hünenburg, .
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