This space contains brief descriptions of most of the major Low German dialects.
These dialect descriptions involve dividing the Low German language into five parts, Frisian, Südwest, Nord, Ost and Mennonite. These divisions reflect the Author's view of similarities within groups. In the word examples given in each such description, the intention is to describe how and why this dialect differs from most of the other dialect groups. For all but the NORD group of dialects, the corresponding NORD Saxon Low German spelling is given, as well as the English translation of the word (in italics). Note how often this Nord dialect grouping spelling is close to English. The same can be said of some West Frisian words.
You can choose which dialect description to view by clicking on a 'group' or 'dialect' in the left hand column. The group name is followed by the names of the dialects assembled within that group. There is information available about both group names and individual dialect names.
The Frisian group
Most experts divide the Germanic family of languages into either Low German or High German, and Frisian falls within the Low German division. The original Frisian dialect of the Christian Era, referred to as Old Frisian, doesn't show up in written records until about the 12th century. It certainly existed many centuries before that, but records have not survived. By the 12th century it had already undergone significant change from its earliest incarnation, which makes it difficult to compare it with other "ancient" forms of certain languages, such as Old Saxon or Old High German, whose written records date to about the 8th century.
There are a number of Frisian words that closely resemble English, but this is true of some other Low German dialects as well.
The West Frisian dialect, as with the other Frisian dialects, originally stems from the "Old Frisian" dialect, of which there is little known. The West Frisian dialect, spoken today in the West Frisian Province of the Netherlands, retains many aspects of the Old Frisian. This dialect has been influenced by Low Franconian, due to the area being conquered by the Franks (under Charlemagne) centuries ago and also due to its location near Holland. It has held on strongly to its dialect and many inhabitants use it commonly around the house. However, Dutch is used in the churches and in business. The words in this dialect are characterized by use of "k" rather than "ch" and "i" instead of "ie": kume (komm, come), min (mien, mine). It is still spoken in Saterland, near Oldenburg, and until recently in the Island of Wangerooge. In neighboring Groningen, the language has become mostly Low German.
The Ost Frisian dialect of today is a version of Low German. The original version was derived from the "Old Frisian" dialect, possibly as the West Frisians came spilling over the border easterly into Ost Friesland. It was a self governing area for a long time; actually governed by the farmers themselves. In time it was over-run by Low Germans spreading out westerly, and therefore the language today is Low German. Until recently there still were, around Saterland and the Island of Wangerooge, people who spoke the old pre-Low German version of Ost Frisian. The use of "hör" for her and "hum" for him are throwbacks to the Old Frisian. Their Low German dialect tends to use "i" instead of "ie":tid (tied, time) and min (mien, mine), as well as the 'k' sound for "ch", as in the "-ken" diminutive ending in betken (beten, little bit).
The Nord Frisian dialect also stems from the "Old Frisian" dialect, as a result of both West and Ost Frisian migration into the Frisian islands off the coast of Schleswig, possibly in the 9th century or earlier. Other outside influences have come along, over the centuries, from the neighboring Danish and Low German people. The result is a mixture of quite widely varying Frisian dialects on the several Nord Frisian islands, and a more Low German dialect on and near the mainland.
Their dialect oftens uses the "ii" instead of "ie: trii (dree, three) and biin, (been, leg). In their spelling they also use the old "å", which was once common in Saxon Low German (and still is used in Danish).
The Südwest group
This broad area exhibits a great variety of Low German dialects. Here the saying that you need go but 10 miles to hear a different dialect is quite true. All of these various dialects have been similarly influenced by the same outward forces - the Frisian from the north, the Old Low Franconian from the west, and Upper Franconian from the south. The Franconian dialect (from the tribe known as the Franks) carries with it remnants of Middle High German (Upper Franconian). So some Low German words used here seem to be variations of High German cognates, rather than stemming from older Low German roots. On the south, they border on High German speaking areas today, which tends to reinforce this Franconian influence.
In this general area, the spelling of Low German uses "k" where one often sees "ch", as also happens in Friesland, Emsland and southern Oldenburg..
The Emsland dialect is based largely on the Ost Frisian version of Low German. It is also greatly influenced by the neighboring Dutch language. However, the spelling of some of their words reflects a Frisian influence. They use the letter "äi" where one might expect to find "ee", such as in the simple words äin (een, one) or däil (deel, part). This is also similar to the Groningen dialect. The Bentheim dialect would also belong to this area.
The Frankish influence (via Dutch) can be seen in the word bünt (sünd, are). Another interesting aspect, probably of Frankish origin, is the spelling of leep (leef, ill), which appears to have missed out on the change from High German "p" to Low German "f".
The Münsterland dialect pertains to the area around Münster and north into southern Oldenburg. This dialect will use "k" where once might expect to find "c", such as in the word wasken (waschen, wash). They will use "ao" instead of just "o", such as in dao (dor, there). Similarly, they use "üö" instead of "ö", as in üöwer (öwer, over).
Generally speaking, it is just another Westphalian dialect, but the importance of the City of Münster in history (where the treaty ending the Thirty Years War was signed) has given the area's dialect special recognition. It shares with Westphalia the use of "iä", as in briäken (breken, break) and iätten (eten, eat).
The Westphalian dialect is better documented than most dialects. In its area one can find several different versions of the dialect, each influenced by the area upon which it borders. Part of it borders directly on Holland, and many Westphalians worked in Holland during the 18th century, which also influenced their dialect. South Westphalia uses the "e" prefix, such as ebrocken (broken, broken), as does Ostphalian further east.
The spelling uses "iä" where one might find "ee", such as in the words piär (peer, horses) and wiäk (week, week). They use the letters "ao" in place of "o", such as in gaoh (goh, go), waogen (wogen, wagen), naoh (no, after) and jaohr (johr, year). The letters "ai" can be found where one might expect "ee", such as in klain (kleen, small), kais (kees, cheese) and daip (deep, deep) . They also use "k" or "sk" where one often finds "ch" or "sch".
The Ostphalian dialect lies roughly between Hannover and south to the border with the High German speaking region. It is influenced by this latter association, whereas many words in the dialect are middle High German words changed to Low German spelling and usage. This is seen in the words hei (he, he) and brauder (broder, brother). High German, or more specifically Middle German, has over the years caused some Low German words in Westphalia, Ostphalia and Brandenburg to strongly acquire High German characteristics.
They use "äu" instead of just "ü", such as in the word häuhner (höhner, chickens). Similar to its neighboring Westphalian, it uses "ää" instead of "ee", such as in päär (peer, horses) and äät (et, eat).
The Nord group
This area lies in the center of the Low German speaking part of Europe. It so happens that this is, from a geographical standpoint, the area where the Germanic tribes first settled down, especially the Saxons, Angles, Chauci and Lombards. One could say that the Saxon Low German language has existed here longer than in any other area. Low Saxon (sometimes called Old Low German) was spoken here before the Christian Era.
The lowlands, extending in all directions from Hamburg, exhibit dialects that are very similar to each other, and to Old Saxon. Although the spelling changes a bit, the usage and pronunciation of Low German is relatively consistent through this area.
.The Heide dialect is generally located in the triangle between Hamburg, Bremen and Hannover (approximately the area of the Lüneburger Heide). In this area one finds words similar to English, including the spelling. This suggests these dialects are closely related to very early versions of Low German, which were themselves the ancestors of English. The term 'heide' means the same as 'pagan', because this area strongly and successfully resisted the Franconian pressure to become christian. They hung on to pagan traditions, even while seemingly christianized. These rather bellicose people also resisted feudalism, and their stubborn nature is is another reason for the retention of the ancient flavor in its version of Low German.
This dialect utilizes diphthongs and monophthongs quite extensively. These are double vowels, spoken respectively as either two sounds or one sound. Examples are words such as veel (- , much), which contains a diphthong. Each of the two 'e' letters have different sounds, though rolled into one another, such that they blend. A word like vereen (- , club) uses the "ee" as a monophthong, sounding it as if it were "ay". Here the the 'e' letters have identical sounds, although once again, they are rolled together when pronounced.
The Bremen area dialect can be found in the former Duchy of Bremen. It has been somewhat influenced by the Frisians and by nearby Oldenburg. For instance, they sometimes use maak (mok, make). It also reflects both Holstein and Heide dialect characteristics. Bremen was the crossing point that people from these areas moved east and west across the Weser River. It was under Swedish control for a while, and its port was a major point of emigration in the 1840's. Hamburg became the principal port in the middle 1850's.
Its dialect, stretching mostly east from Bremen, varies a bit from some other Nord dialects by using güstern (gistern, yesterday) and süster (swester, sister), reflecting some Frisian influence. It also often uses ook (ok, also). It is similar to the Holstein dialect.
The Holstein dialect also well represents the Nord dialects. It is, in common with the Heide dialect area, the area in which the original Saxon and Angel tribes first congregated, before spreading out along the North Sea coast. This gives it a strong connection to the original Low German language.
There are several distinct dialects contained here, with Dithmarsch being perhaps the best known. Some characteristics of the dialect include the use of the terms Fru (Fro, Wife) and dörv (dröf, may). They also share with the Bremen dialect the use of ook (ok, also). In most aspects this dialect is similar to the Heide dialect.
The Oldenburg dialect belongs to an area once known as the Duchy of Oldenburg. There is some difference between its northern and southern dialects. The northern portion is somewhat influenced by Ost Frisian. They say 'proten' instead of 'snack', just as the Ost Frisians do. Examples are the words dütsk (düütsch, german) and frisk (frisch, fresh). In the east it is influenced by the Bremen and Heide dialects. The southern portion is influenced by the Westphalian dialect of Münsterland. Examples of the latter are such words as daoge (daag, days) and saoterdag (sünnobend, saturday).
The Schleswig dialect has been greatly influenced by nearby Low Danish and also Nord Frisian. This area changed back and forth between Danish and German rule, and for many years a form of Low Danish or Platt Danish (Kartuffel Däänsch) was its principal language. It's northern area, once known as North Schleswig, is even today actually part of Denmark.
It uses the "-en" ending, as is done by the East Low German Dialects, rather than the "-et" ending more common in most Low German dialects. They tend to replace "ch" with "k", as in the word skrift (shrift, writing), reflecting an older Frisian influence. They use the "a", where one might expect an "o", as in the word gahn (gohn, went).
The
Ost group
The various Low German dialects in the area east of the Elbe River are of relatively recent origin. It was Slavic as far back as the 7th century, and didn't start becoming German until about the early 12th century.
Because of this more recent conversion to German (High and Low), the Low German dialects here exhibit some of those High German influences that had begun taking over Low German. This factor is also partly due to the in-migration of people from Westphalia, Flanders, Holland and Ostphalia.
These dialects, which are sometimes called the East Low German Dialects, use the "et" ending, rather than "en", such as moket rather than moken.
The Mecklenburg dialect area was once Slavic, the drang nach Osten begun by Emporer Charlemagne placed Germans solidly in Mecklenburg and Brandenburg. Such in-migration from the north part of Germany brought with it the Low German language. However, by the 18th century, High German had gained such force that the Low German began to be mixed with High German. The migration also included people from Friesland, and thus the dialect has this influence as well. This area retained its older heritage for a long time, because it resisted change of any kind (much like its Heide neighbors to the west). There is a saying that if it appears the world is coming to an end, one should go the Mecklenburg, where it probably won't happen for another 50 years.
Of particular interest is the diminutive ending "ing". The word vadding refers to 'little father'. The High German influence can be seen in the words kleen (lüttje, small) and spreken (snack, speak). To some extent, it is shown in such words as brät (brett, board) and apen (open, open). The dialect varies from west to east.
The Pommern dialect is found in an area of northern Poland that was Slavic in the 7th century, and then was viciously conquered by Denmark in the 11th century. The widespread destruction in the area prompted the aristocracy there to invite in farmers from Germany, to help rehabilitate the land. As usual, where the Germans went they began to dominate. Thus the Low German language also entered and dominated the area, producing its own colorful mixed dialect. Many of their words drop the final "-n" or "-en" endings, such as in bitske (beten, little bit).
Many of their words are shortened; examples being "I" rather than "Ik", "t" instead of "dat" and "d" instead of "de".
The Brandenburg dialect reflects a strong Dutch influence, due to in-migration of guest workers in the 18th century. For the same reason, it also reflects some Westphalian influence, as noted by Frankish characteristics. They tend to say det (dat, that) and gein (keen, none).
Berlin lies near this area, and surprisingly it was once, until about the 15th century, a Low German speaking community.
In Brandenburg they also use "ae" instead of "ee", as in the words baen (been, leg) and laef (leev, dear).
The Low Prussian dialect has pretty well disappeared. This area was once known as East Prussia. Next door was the Kaschubian dialect of Poland, some aspects of which can be found in the Low Prussian dialect. The area was Slavic until the 13th century, and became thoroughly German in the 18th century.
Words very characteristic of the dialect are doa (dor, there), joa (jo, yes), goah (goh, go) and noa (nober, neighbor), which use the "oa" instead of the usual "o" or "a". However, when pronounced, there is little difference. This is, because of migration from that area, somewhat similar to Ostphalian and Westphalian, although the letters are reversed. They substitute "k" for "ch", such as in mannke (minsch, person) and use High German like words, such as zwei (twee, two). Their words are often shortened, somewhat similar to the neighboring Pommern dialect, such as beet (beten, little bit) and baakove (bakåben, bake oven).
Mennonite
This dialect is a smôrgasbôrd combination of High German, Swiss High German, Dutch, Frisian and Low Prussian. This situation results from the migration that adherents of this religion undertook to escape persecution in the 18th century. Early ones left from Switzerland and later ones from Friesland. The latter have developed the PlautDietsch form of Low German. This dialect is not specific to a geographical area, as are all other Low German dialects, but rather it is associated with a religion. It tends to use "au" instead of "a", such as in daut (dat, that) and auleen (aleen, alone). And "ao" is used instead of "o", as in moak (mok, make) and joahr (johr, year).
It uses the "j" letter in many words, to reinforce the "t", "g" and "k" sounds. Examples are tjäatj (kerk, church), hinja (achter, behind) and jeff (geev, give). And "g" is used for the "ch" sound, such as in waig (weg, way) and haug (hoch, high), as is sometimes the case in other Low German dialects.