Characteristics
- The diminutive is used frequently in all Alemannic dialects. Northern and eastern dialects use the suffix -le; southern dialects use the suffix -li (Standard German suffix -lein or -chen). Depending on dialect, thus, 'little house' could be Heisle, Hüüsle, Hüüsli or Hiisli (Standard German Häuslein or Häuschen).
- A significant difference between the high and low variants is the pronunciation of ch after the front vowels (i, e, ä, ö and ü) and consonants. In Standard German and the lower variants, this is a palatal (the Ich-Laut), whereas in the higher variants, a uvular or velar or (the Ach-Laut) is used.
- The verb to be is conjugated differently in the various dialects:
(The common gs*-forms do historically derive from words akin to ge-sein, not found in modern standard German.)
The conjugation of the verb to be in Alemannic dialects | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
English (standard German) |
Low Swabian | Alsatian Lower High Alsace |
Allgäuerisch | Lower Markgräflerland |
Upper Swabian | Eastern Swiss German | Western Swiss German | Sensler |
I am (ich bin) |
I ben | Ich bìn ~ |
I bi | Ich bi | I bee | I bi | I(g) bi | I bü/bi |
You are (du bist) |
du bisch | dü bìsch | du bisch | du bisch | dou/du bisch | du bisch | du bisch | du büsch/bisch |
He is (er ist) |
er isch | är ìsch | är isch | är isch | är isch | är isch | är isch | är isch |
She is (sie ist) |
sia isch | sie ìsch | sia isch | sie isch | si isch | si isch | si isch | sia isch |
It is (es ist) |
es isch | äs ìsch | as isch | as isch | äs isch | äs isch | äs isch | as isch |
We are (wir sind) |
mr send/sen | mir sìnn | mir send/sönd | mir sin | mr send | m(i)r send/sön/sinn | mir sy | wier sy |
You are (ihr seid) |
ihr send/sen | ihr sìnn | ihr send | ihr sin | ihr send | i(i)r sönd/sind | dihr syt | ier syt |
They are (sie sind) |
se send/sen | sie sìnn | dia send | si sin | dia send | di sönd | si sy | si sy |
I have been (ich bin ... gewesen) |
i ben gwäa | ich bìn gsìnn ~ |
i bi gsi | ich bi gsi | i bee gsei | i bi gsi | i(g) bi gsi/gsy | i bü/bi gsy |
|
Read more about this topic: Alemannic German
Main Site Subjects
Related Phrases
Related Words