Low German

English

Alternative forms

• Low-German

Etymology

Because northern Germany (Low Germany), where it is spoken, is lower in elevation than southern Germany.

Noun

Low German (uncountable)

1. A West Germanic language spoken in Low (i.e. Northern) Germany and north-eastern parts of the Netherlands, and formerly also in large parts of eastern and north-eastern Europe, which developed out of Middle Low German from Old Saxon; often treated as a dialect group of German (or Dutch) for convenience, but widely recognized as a separate language.

Synonyms

• (West Germanic language, descended from Old Saxon): Plattdeutsch, Platt, Low Saxon, Nether-Saxon
• (West Germanic languages that are not High German): Low-Dutch (Low Dutch), Netherdutch

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “West Germanic languages that are not High German”): High Dutch (High-Dutch), High German (includes numerous Upper German and Middle German/Central German dialects from which Standard High German mainly developed)

Meronyms

(West Germanic language, descended from Old Saxon):

• (synchronic) Dutch Low Saxon (variety or varieties in the Netherlands); East Frisian, Westphalian, Eastphalian, Mecklenburgish-West Pomeranian, Brandenburgish, East Pomeranian, Low Prussian;Plautdietsch (variety spoken in America etc.)
• (diachronic) New Low Saxon or New Saxon; Middle Saxon; Old Saxon
• (diachronic) Old Low German

Derived terms

• LG, L. G. (Low German)
• Northern Low German
• Southern Low German
• Middle Low German; Old Low German
• Mennonite Low German
• EFLG (East Frisian Low German)

Descendants

• → German: American Low German

Translations

West Germanic language

• Armenian: ստորին գերմաներեն (storin germaneren)
• Breton: alamaneg izel m
• Catalan: baix alemany (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 低地德語／低地德语 (dīdì Déyǔ)

• Danish: nedertysk n, plattysk (da) n, nedersaksisk n
• Dutch: Nedersaksisch (nl) n, Nederduits (nl) n (in a stricter sense), Platduits n
• Estonian: alamsaksa, alamsaksa keel
• Faroese: lágtýskt (fo) n
• Finnish: alasaksa (fi), alasaksi (fi)
• French: bas saxon (fr) m
• Galician: baixo alemán m
• Georgian: ქვემოგერმანული (kvemogermanuli), ქვემოგერმანული ენა (kvemogermanuli ena)
• German: Niederdeutsch (de) n (in a stricter sense), Niedersächsisch (de) n, Plattdeutsch (de) n
• Hungarian: alnémet (hu)
• Icelandic: lágþýska (is) f, niðursaxneska f, plattþýska f
• Irish: Gearmáinis Íochtarach f
• Italian: basso sassone (it) m
• Japanese: 低地ドイツ語 (ja) (teichi Doitsu-go)
• Khmer: អាល្លឺម៉ង់ក្រោម (aalləɨmɑŋ kraom)
• Low German:

  Dutch Low Saxon: Platduuts (nds), Nedersaksies (nds), Nedersaksisch (nds)

  German Low German: Plattdütsch (nds) n, Plattdüütsch (nds) n, Platdütsch n (Netherlands), Nedderdüütsch (nds) n, Neddersassisch n

  Low Prussian (Niederpreußisch): Plattdietsch (nds) n

  Westphalian (Westfälisch):

  Münsterländisch: Plattdütsk n (Plattdüütsk (nds) n)

  Sauerländisch: Plattduitsk (nds) n

  Eastphalian (Ostfälisch): Plattduitsch n

• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: lavtysk m, nedertysk (no) m, plattysk m, platt-tysk m, nedersaksisk m

  Nynorsk: lågtysk m, nedertysk m, plattysk m, platt-tysk m, nedersaksisk m

• Plautdietsch: Plautdietsch (nds) (often refers specifically to the Mennonite Low German variety)
• Polish: dolnoniemiecki (pl) m
• Portuguese: baixo alemão m
• Russian: нижненеме́цкий (ru) m (nižneneméckij) (язы́к)
• Serbo-Croatian: donjonjemački
• Spanish: bajo sajón (es) m; bajo alemán (es) m (in a stricter sense)
• Swedish: lågtyska (sv) c, plattyska (sv) c, nedersaksiska c
• Turkish: Aşağı Almanca (tr)
• Welsh: Isel Almaeneg f
• West Frisian: Nederdútsk (fy) n, Platdútsk (fy) n

West Germanic languages that are not High German

• Dutch: Nederduits (nl) n
• French: bas allemand (fr) m
• German: Niederdeutsch (de) n
• Italian: basso tedesco (it) m
• Spanish: bajo alemán (es) m

Adjective

Low German

1. in, of or relating to Low German

Translations

Translations

• Dutch: Nederduits (nl)
• German: niederdeutsch (de)

See also

• Ingvaeonic
• Low Germanic
• Low Germany
• North Sea Germanic

Further reading

• Wikiwöörbook: Low German Wiktionary, for all Low German dialects (and Plautdietsch)
• Plattmakers: Low German dictionary with both English and German translations

Anagrams

• angleworm, lawmonger