Upper German

Upper German is a group of High German dialects spoken mainly in the southern parts of the German-speaking world. These dialects are part of the larger family of High German languages, which include the standard form of German used in schools and media today.

The term "Upper German" helps us understand how German has developed and changed over time in different regions. People who speak these dialects often live in areas such as Bavaria, Austria, and parts of Switzerland.

Studying Upper German gives us insight into the rich history and culture of these places, showing how language can vary even within a single country. It also helps linguists and historians trace the movements of people and ideas through the centuries.

History

During the time of Old High German, only two groups of dialects were called Upper German: Alemannic and Bairisch. Later, in the Middle High German time, East Franconian and sometimes South Franconian joined this group. Swabian then separated from Alemannic because of changes in how words were pronounced in New High German.

Main article: Old High German
Main articles: Alemannic, Bairisch
Main article: Middle High German
Main articles: East Franconian, South Franconian
Main article: Swabian

Family tree

Upper German is a group of dialects mainly spoken in southern parts of Germany. It includes the Alemannic and Bavarian groups. The High Franconian dialects, spoken up to the Speyer line, are sometimes included too. They have features of both Upper and Central German, so their classification can vary.

Upper German can be divided in different ways. One way includes North Upper German (East and South Franconian), West Upper German (Swabian and Alemannic), and East Upper German (Bavarian). Other groupings also exist, reflecting the rich variety of these dialects across regions like Baden-Württemberg, Switzerland, Austria, and more.

Langobardic (Lombardic)

Langobardic, also called Lombardic, was an old language that stopped being spoken around the year 1000. It is sometimes considered part of the Upper German group because it went through changes called the High German consonant shift. However, some people think it is still not clear where Langobardic fits among old German languages.