Low Lusatian German

Low Lusatian German (in German: "Niederlausitzer Mundart" (also English: "Low Lusatian Dialect")) is a variety of standard German spoken in northern Saxony and southern Brandenburg within the regions of Cottbus and Hoyerswerda. It is well-defined from the Low German dialects around and north of Berlin as well as the Saxon dialect group of present day Saxony and the Slavic language of the Sorbs.

The Low Lusatian German is a small variation of present day standard German spoken within the regions of Lower Lusatia and the northern part of Upper Lusatia. Both regions were strongly influenced by different dialects, especially after World War II. Refugees from East Prussia and Silesia settled there after their dispossession from former German areas. After the foundation of the German Democratic Republic and an economical development because of a stronger extraction of lignite people from Mecklenburg, Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt moved to the Lusatia region to benefit from the development. Due to this influence of other German dialects Low Lusatian never formed a too strong variaton from standard German. For people moving now into this area the dialect is easy to learn and influences their spoken language quite fast.Fact|date=January 2008

Language

In Low Lusatian German, regional specific words are missing. It contains syncops and apocopes which are used in nearly every German dialect. The only clearly remarkable articulation is the guttural "r". It causes that "-er" always sounds as "-a".

Another sign is a different form of the perfect.

Example Sentences

References

*Astrid Stedje (1987). "Deutsche Sprache gestern und heute." Universitätstaschenbuchverlag
*Columns of regional newspapers written in Low Lusatian German (http://www.lr-online.de)