Saalenian German

**Saalenian German** is the variety of the German language spoken in Saalenia. German is the only official language of the Principality and is spoken by 95% of the population as a mother tongue. In the following article the Saalenian dialect of German is presented.

## General Character

Due to the relatively small national territory, the relatively strong centralization and a pronounced national patrotism of the population, a uniform Saalenian German has developed, which can be understood as a singular dialect. In the course of the strict social stratification, however, different characteristics can be found between the individual classes. So the dialect in the local nobility is rather reduced and they speak almost standard German. In the upper bourgeoisie, on the other hand, the dialect is cultivated in an almost patriotic manner. Nevertheless, all these variants are only degrees of strength of the same dialect.

In general, however, the dialect is close to Standard German, differing only in vocabulary and pronunciation, while the grammar is completely the same. The only and very distinctive grammatical difference is the use of the generic feminine instead of the generic masculine. The use of the first participle also comes through in the educated nobility and bourgeoisie.

The dialect is quite nasal in pronunciation, which is typical for the dialects of Northern Germany, which indicates a Low German influence. Atypical for North German dialects, however, is the omission of the final e in the first person singular, which can be seen in South German dialects (Ich habe ein Auto vs. Ich hab ein Auto - I have a car). French loanwords are also characteristic.

## Examples of reduction, centralization, de-rounding and de-voicing

The following characteristics can be found in the full expression of the dialect:

* The t at the end of particles is omitted: Dialectical *nich* [nɪç] instead of standard *nicht* [nɪçt] ( engl.: not); *is* [ɪs] instead of *ist* [ɪst] (is); *jets* [jɛts] instead of *jetzt* [jɛtst] (now).

* When gt or gst the g becomes a ch [ç]: *Du liegst / Er liegt* (You are/He is laying) [ligst/ligt] becomes *Du lichst / er licht* [lɪçst/lɪçt].

* A k is added to the ng-sound [ŋ] at the end: *jungk* [jʊŋk] instead of *jung* [jʊŋ]

* In standard German, the e is not pronounced for most -en endings, but this is different for -nen, -men and -ngen. In the Saalenian these are also omitted: *renn* [ʁɛn] instead of *rennen* [ʁɛnɛn] (run); *komm* [kɔm] instead of *kommen* [kɔmɛn] (come); *sing* [zɪŋ] instead of *singen* [zɪŋɛn] (sing).

* The sounds eu/oi and ai/ei are each pronounced with a long nasal vowel: *Froint* [fʁɔːʏnt/fʁɐ̯ʏnt] instead of *Freund* [fʁɔʏnt] (friend); *raaich* [ʁɑɪç] instead of *reich* [ʁaɪç] (rich).

* An i-sound that is actually long is pronounced shortly: *zimmlich* [tsɪmlɪç] instead of *ziemlich* [tsiemlɪç] (pretty/quiet).

* -ir and -ar sounds are stretched to a long a: [i]Kiiache[/i] [kiɐçə] instead of [i]Kirche[/i] [ˈkɪʁçə] (church); [i]Staat[/i] [ʃtaːt] instead of [i]Start[/i] [ʃtaʁt] (start).

## **Vocabulary and example sentences**

The vocabulary of the Saalenian dialect has various influences. The largest is French, but also Yiddish and 18th-century student language influences. Typical are the generic feminine and the high use of abbreviations. Here are few examples: