The Franconian language reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Franconian language

The Franconian language can refer to:

• the High German dialect spoken in Franconia (a region of Bavaria, though historically distinct)
• the West Middle German language family
• a number of West Germanic languages and dialects, including all of West Middle German and some Low German languages as well (such as Dutch and related languages).

When Franconian is taken in the the last and broadest sense, the following Franconian sub-families should be distinguished:

• Low Franconian, better known as Dutch
  • South Low Franconian (Netherlands, Belgium and North Rhine-Westphalia)
    • Pella Dutch (Iowa)
  • Afrikaans (South Africa and Namibia)

• West Middle German
  • Ripuarian Franconian (North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Belgium)
  • Luxembourgish (Luxemburg, Belgium and France)
  • Moselle Franconian (North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland)
  • Lorrainian German (France)
  • Westpalatine dialects (Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland)
  • Forepalatine dialects (Rhineland-Palatinate and France)
  • Hesse Nassauish (Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate)
  • Lower Hesse dialects (Hesse, Thuringia)

• Transition area between Middle German and Upper German
  • East Franconian (Bavaria, Thuringia, Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, Saxony and Czech Republic)
    • Main Franconian, colloquially called Franconian since dialects of this sub-family are spoken all over Franconia (Bavaria, Thuringia, Hesse)
  • Southern Franconian (Baden-Württemberg)

Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch is also a Franconian dialect.

See also

• High German language
• Low German language
• East Middle German

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