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.

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    —Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)

    “A German immersed in any civilization different from his own loses a weight equivalent in volume to the amount of intelligence he displaces.”
    —José Bergamín (1895–1983)