Alternate Names: Deutsch, Tedesco
Dialects: Major related varieties are Bavarian ,, Schwäbian ,, Alemannisch ,, Mainfränkisch ,, Hessisch, Palatinian, Rheinfränkisch, Westfälisch ,, Saxonian, Thuringian, Brandenburgisch, and Low Saxon ,. Many varieties are not mutually intelligible. Our present treatment is incomplete. Standard German is one High German variety, developed from the chancery of Saxony, gaining acceptance as the written standard in the 16th and 17th centuries. High German refers to dialects and languages in the upper Rhine region. Lexical similarity: 60% with English ,, 29% with French ,.
Status Notes: De facto national language.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 69,800,000 in Germany (ELDIA 2012). Population total all countries: 78,245,280. L2 users: 8,000,000 in Germany (ELDIA 2012).
Language Use: 41,220,000 also use English [eng]. 1,095,000 also use French [fra].
Language Development: Taught in primary and secondary schools. Fully developed. Bible: 1466–2004.
Spoken In: Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Romania
Writing System: Braille, Latin, Latin (Fractur)
Nation of Origin: Germany, Liechtenstein
Other Comments: Based equally on East Upper German and East Middle German. Christian.