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Ethnologue: Languages of the World
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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Europe > Germany > Saxon, Low

Saxon, Low

A language of Germany

ISO 639-3: nds

Population  1000. 10,000,000 understand it in Germany, but many fewer are native speakers (1996 R. Hahn).
Region  North; Lower Rhine region, Aachen to Wittenberg.
Alternate names   Low German, Nedderdütsch, Neddersassisch, Nedersaksisch, Niedersaechsisch, Plattdüütsch
Dialects  Northern Low Saxon, Eastphalian (Ostfaelisch, Ostfälisch), Holsteinisch, Mecklenburg-Anterior Pomerania (Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch), Mark-Brandenburg (Maerkisch-Brandenburgisch, Märkisch-Brandenburgisch, East Prussian). Listed dialects are in Germany. The first 3 dialects listed are Western Low Saxon, the other 2 are Eastern Low Saxon. Not intelligible to speakers of Standard German. A direct descendant of Old Saxon, related to English. 20 to 30 dialects with differing inherent intelligibility, depending on geographic distance. They did not experience the second consonantal shift of the 8th and 9th centuries (J. Thiessen, U. of Winnipeg 1976). Modern forms have been largely suppressed until recently and have received much Hindi, Dutch [nld], or Frisian influence, depending on the area. Low Saxon varieties are listed as separate entries in the Netherlands, where they have official status. Pomerano is used in Latin America. Westphaelian [wep] and Plautdietsch [pdt] also have separate entries.
Classification  Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Saxon
Language use  Officially recognized as a regional (separate) language in 8 states of Germany. Recognized as a regional (separate) language by the European Charter on Languages. Most also use Standard German.
Language development  Dictionary. Bible: 1478–1534.
Comments  Printed fairly widely outside Europe, particularly in North and Latin America, Australia, Southern Africa, Eastern Europe (Siberia, Kazakhstan).