Uerdingen - Language

Language

A dialect of Low German is still spoken in Uerdingen, a variety known locally as “Oedingsch Platt,” oedingsch signifying “of Uerdingen” in the dialect, and “Platt” being a northern German term for the varieties of Low German in general. Oedisch Platt should not be confused with Krieewelsch Platt, the Krefeld Platt variety of Low German, as there are small, subtle differences between the two. The best known Uerdingen song in Platt is “Oeding blievt Oeding” (os Städtsch am Rhien) by Andreas Otto Kickers, sometimes considered to be the Uerdinger Hymn. The song describes life and history of the city and of its inhabitants. The “Rhienstädter” sing this at all occasions, and thereby cultivate the local Oedingsch Platt dialect a bit longer. At the northeastern edge of the city runs the isogloss known as the Uerdingen Line.