West Central German

West Central German belongs to the Central, High German dialect family in the German language. Its dialects are thoroughly Franconian and comprise the parts of the Rhinelandic continuum located south of the Benrath line isogloss, including the following sub-families:

  • Central Franconian (Mittelfränkisch)
    • Ripuarian (Ripuarisch), spoken in North Rhine-Westphalia (including Kölsch) and German-speaking Belgium
    • Moselle Franconian (Moselfränkisch) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and France (francique mosellan)
      • Luxembourgish (Lëtzebuergesch, luxembourgeois) in Luxembourg, Belgium and France (francique luxembourgeois)
  • Rhine Franconian (Rheinfränkisch, francique rhénan)
    • Palatinate Franconian (Pfälzisch, francique palatin), spoken in Rhineland-Palatinate
      • Lorraine Franconian (Lothringisch, francique lorrain) in the French region of Lorraine
      • Bukovina German (Bukowinadeutsch) in Bukovina (extinct)
      • Pennsylvania German (Pennsylvaniadeutsch) in historical communities in North America, especially in Pennsylvania.
    • Hessian (Hessisch) in Hesse and the Rhenish Hesse region of Rhineland-Palatinate
      • North Hessian (Nordhessisch)
      • Central Hessian (Mittelhessisch)
      • East Hessian (Osthessisch)

Apart from West Central German on the southern edge and in south-east Franconian dialects are turning to Upper German. This transition area between Central German and Upper German is captured by the dialect families of South Franconian German and East Franconian German, colloquially miscalled Franconian as dialects of this sub-family are spoken all over Franconia.

West Central German was spoken in several settlements throughout America, for example in the Amana Colonies.

Famous quotes containing the words west, central and/or german:

    “Many are concerned about the monuments of the West and the East,—to know who built them. For my part, I should like to know who in those days did not build them,—who were above such trifling.”
    —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    “There is no such thing as a free lunch.”
    —Anonymous.

    An axiom from economics popular in the 1960s, the words have no known source, though have been dated to the 1840s, when they were used in saloons where snacks were offered to customers. Ascribed to an Italian immigrant outside Grand Central Station, New York, in Alistair Cooke’s America (epilogue, 1973)

    “The German mind, may it live! Almost invisible as a mind, it finally manifests itself assertively as a conviction.”
    —Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872)