Alemannic German - Variants

Variants

The following variants comprise Alemannic:

• Swabian (mostly in Swabia, in Germany). Unlike most other Alemannic dialects, it does not retain the Middle High German monophthongs û, î but shifts them to, (as opposed to Standard German, ). For this reason, "Swabian" is sometimes used in opposition to "Alemannic".
• Low Alemannic dialects. Retain German initial /k/ as (or ) rather than fricativising to as in High Alemannic. Subvariants:
  • Lake Constance Alemannic (in Southern Württemberg, Southeastern Baden, Northwestern Vorarlberg)
  • Upper-Rhine Alemannic in Southwestern Baden and its variant Alsatian (in Alsace, France)
  • Alemán Coloniero (in Venezuela)
  • Basel German (in Basel, Switzerland)
• High Alemannic (mostly in Switzerland, parts of Vorarlberg, and in the southern parts of the Black Forest in Germany). Complete the High German consonant shift by fricativising initial /k/ to . Subvariants:
  • Bernese German
  • Zürich German
  • Vorarlbergisch
  • Liechtensteinisch
• Highest Alemannic (in the Canton of Wallis, in the Walser settlements (e.g., in the canton of Grisons), in the Bernese Oberland and in the German-speaking part of Fribourg). Do not have the hiatus diphthongisation of other dialects of German with, and not . Subvariants:
  • Walliser German
  • Walser German

Note that the Alemannic dialects of Switzerland are often called Swiss German or Schwyzerdütsch.