'Low German' is often mistaken to mean a socially inferior or debased form of the language. This is totally wrong. It is simply the original speech of the northern Low German Plain, as opposed to the highland dialects of Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Unlike them it did not undergo the sound-changes which created today's standard High German. From Düsseldorf and above all the dialects are of Low German, including Dutch, now an independent standard language. In Germany the two main variants are Low Saxon and Low Franconian, still spoken, mostly by older people, and in rural communities. This class welcomes speakers and learners of German, especially anyone who speaks, or remembers older relatives speaking, a Low German dialect ('Platt'). We will explore together this neglected facet of the German language.
Note: The Autumn term will be held via video-conference (Zoom).