LL-L "Language varieties" 2007.03.04 (06) [E]

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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
 L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
 S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West) Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)

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L O W L A N D S - L - 04 March 2007 - Volume 06

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From: Sandy Fleming <sandy at scotstext.org>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2007.03.03 (04) [E]

> From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Language varieties

> I take it she isn't originally from the Dresden area.  If she were, it
> wouldn't be surprising that she doesn't know any Low Saxon, because
> the area is well south of the Low-Saxon-speaking region.  It is were
> mostly so-called "Central German" varieties are spoken, the ones of
> this particular area being referred to as "Saxon," with many special
> features, including "fronting" ( i.e. centralization) of back vowels,
> which gives them a unique sound.

Ron,

Yes, as she said, her family lived near the Dutch border - well, that
could be anywhere almost! - she was just at university in the Dresden
area.

It might be that she took it to mean those dialects when I said Low
Saxon, of course. I suppose my sign for "Low" could have been
interpreted as meaning "in the south" or something, I'm not sure.

I must say, though, I've met Germans from places like Lubeck and Hamburg
who don't seem very clear about what I mean by "Low Saxon" and that's
just speaking with them in English.

Sandy

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language varieties

Sandy,

"Too true, mate," to use an Australianism.

Most people, even in the north, know only the names Platt and Plattdeutsch,
few (including native speakers) know what the more "scientific" version
Niederdeutsch means or that the two are synonymous, and only a small
minority knows that the language descended from Old Saxons (renamed "Old Low
German" for popular consumption) and that dialects of it are used in the
Netherlands.  (Most of those that are aware of the latter fact choose to
pretend it's a different language.)

In other words: ignorance abounds. Not surprisingly so, since imparting such
basic knowledge, and certainly presenting diverging views, has never been a
part of the general education curriculum even in the north.  It is at best
limited to a (numerus clausus) select tertiary education circle of budding
Germanists, and they ain't gonna bite the hand that feeds them.  And
Germanics departments outside the country tend to be dominated by
German-educated faculty members that in part rely on German funding.

Kumpelmenten,
Reinhard/Ron

•

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