LL-L: "Language varieties" LOWLANDS-L, 10.JUL.2001 (04) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 10.JUL.2001 (04) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic, Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language varieties

Dear Lowlanders,

Thanks to Henno Brandsma <henno_brandsma at hotmail.com> for his explanation
about _Stedsk_ or _Stedfrysk_ ("Urban Frisian"), which are really Dutch
varieties with Westerlauwer ("West") Frisian substrates, and which I had
compared to Missingsch (German dialects with Low Saxon ["Low German"]
substrates).

Talking about contact varieties, what about "West Frisian" (_Westfries_),
which is not Frisian either but is also Dutch with Frisian substrates (which
is why Netherlanders and other people familiar with the situation cannot
accept the name "West Frisian" in reference to what they know as "Westerlauwer
Frisian").  How does this "West Frisian" differ from _Stedsk_?

Further talking about contact varieties, are there any German varieties with
Frisian substrates, and if not, why not?

I am here assuming that German ("High German") and Low Saxon (i.e., the
Saxon-based varieties of "Low German") are two separate languages.  Of course,
we do have Low Saxon varieties with Frisian substrates in Eastern Friesland,
Emsland and Groningen, previously Frisian-speaking areas among which only
Groningen remains in part Frisian-speaking.  In the above-mentioned areas of
Northwestern Germany and the Northeastern Netherlands, Low Saxon replaced
Frisian and took on distinctly Frisian characteristics.  In Germany's Eastern
Friesland, Frisian culture has in part survived despite the language switch.
At the same time, Eastern Friesland is today one of the strongholds of Low
Saxon.  (My theory is that East Frisians tend to feel ethnically or at least
culturally distinct from Germans, and they tend to see their
Frisian-influenced Low Saxon as one of the symbols of this distinction in lieu
of their ancestral Frisian language, which survives only in Saterland, a small
enclave south of Eastern Friesland.)

Furthermore, are there any Low Saxon varieties with noticeable North Frisian
substrates?

Am I correct in assuming that there are no German varieties with Frisian
substrates (or only German varieties with Frisian loans via Low Saxon) because
extensive use of ("High") German came relatively late to (previously)
Frisian-speaking areas, and these areas had long ago adopted Low Saxon for
official, interethnic and supraregional communication?

Any input would be appreciated.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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