Elsässisch
Alsatian
Indo-European (Germanic, West, High German, Alemannic, Low Alemannic)
Alsatian (Elsässisch) is the Low Alemannic German of Alsace, in eastern France — kin to Swiss German and Swabian across the Rhine, but shaped by three centuries inside France. It unrounds or fronts the German vowels in its own way (Fir 'fire', Hüs 'house'), keeps the dark a of Wàsser and Hànd, and borrows its courtesies from French: Salü, Mersi. Spoken by roughly half the region's adults in 1999 and far fewer children since, it has no official status and no fixed spelling; the forms here use Orthal, the orthography proposed by the regional language office.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Alsatian
Sources
- ASJP Database — ALSATIAN wordlist (transcriber André Müller)
- Martin, Ernst & Lienhart, Hans (1899–1907) Wörterbuch der elsässischen Mundarten. Strassburg: Trübner (woerterbuchnetz.de ElsWB)
- OLCA — Orthal, orthographe alsacienne (2016)
- Omniglot — Useful phrases in Alsatian
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Indo-European (Germanic, West, High German, Alemannic, Low Alemannic)
| Meaning | Alsatian | Swiss German | Walser | Pennsylvania German | Walliser German | East Franconian | Swiss Standard German |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Wàsser /vɒsər/ | Wasser /vasːər/ | Wasser /vasːər/ | Wasser /vasər/ | Wasser /ʋasːər/ | Wasser /vasːə/ | Wasser /ˈvasər/ |
| Fire | Fir /fiːr/ | Füür /fyːr/ | Für /fyːr/ | Feier /faɪər/ | Fyyr /fyːr/ | Feier /faɪɐ/ | Feuer /ˈfɔɪ̯ər/ |
| Sun | Sùnn /sʊn/ | Sunne /sʊnə/ | Sunna /sʊnːa/ | Sunn /sʊn/ | Sunna /ˈsʊnːa/ | Sunn /sʊn/ | Sonne /ˈsɔnə/ |
| Moon | Mon /moːn/ | Mond /moːnd/ | Maa /maː/ | Muun /muːn/ | Mánu /ˈmaːnʊ/ | Maa /maː/ | Mond /moːnt/ |
| Star | Stërn /ʃtærn/ | Stärn /ʃtærn/ | Stärn /ʃtærn/ | Schteern /ʃteːrn/ | Stäru /ˈʃtæru/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ | Stern /ʃtɛrn/ |
| Night | Nàcht /nɒxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ | Nacht /naxt/ |
| Rain | Räje /rɛjə/ | Rägä /ˈrɛːɡə/ | Räge /rɛɡə/ | Regge /ˈrɛɡə/ | Räge /rɛɡə/ | — | Regen /ˈreːɡən/ |
| Snow | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ | Schnee /ʃneː/ |
| Wind | Wìnd /vɪnt/ | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /vind/ | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /ʋind/ | Wind /vɪnd/ | Wind /vɪnt/ |
| Earth | Erd /ert/ | Ärde /ɛrdə/ | Ärd /ærd/ | Erd /ɛrd/ | Ärde /ɛrdə/ | Erd /ɛɐd/ | Erde /ˈeːrdə/ |
| Stone | Stein /ʃtein/ | Stei /ʃtɛi/ | Stei /ʃtai/ | Schtee /ʃteː/ | Stei /ʃtɛi/ | — | Stein /ʃtaɪn/ |
| Mountain | Bärri /bɛri/ | Bärg /bærɡ/ | — | Barig /ˈbarɪç/ | Bäärg /bæːrɡ/ | — | Berg /bɛrk/ |
| Sea | Meer /meːr/ | Meer /meːr/ | — | See /seː/ | Meer /meːr/ | — | Meer /meːr/ |
| Mother | Müeter /myətər/ | Mueter /muə̯tər/ | Müeter /myə̯tər/ | Mudder /mʊdər/ | Mu̜eter /ˈmuə̯tər/ | Mudder /mʊdɐ/ | Mutter /ˈmʊtər/ |
| Father | Vàtter /fɒtər/ | Vatter /fatər/ | Atti /atːi/ | Daadi /daːdi/ | Vattär /ˈfatːær/ | Vadder /fadɐ/ | Vater /ˈfaːtər/ |
| I | ich /ɪx/ | ich /ɪx/ | ich /ix/ | ich /ɪç/ | ich /ɪç/ | i /i/ | ich /ɪç/ |
| You | dü /dy/ | du /duː/ | du /du/ | du /du/ | du /du/ | du /du/ | du /duː/ |
| We | mir /mir/ | mir /mir/ | wir /vir/ | mir /miːɐ̯/ | wier /ʋiər/ | mir /miɐ/ | wir /viːr/ |
| Name | Nàme /nɒːmə/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ | Name /ˈnamə/ | Naame /ˈnɔːmə/ | Namu /ˈnamu/ | Nama /ˈnamɐ/ | Name /ˈnaːmə/ |
| Head | Kopf /kʰɔpf/ | Chopf /xɔpf/ | — | Kopp /kɔp/ | Chopf /xopf/ | — | Kopf /kɔpf/ |
| Eye | Aug /ɒik/ | Aug /aʊ̯ɡ/ | Oug /oʊɡ/ | Aag /ɔːk/ | Oig /ɔɪ̯ɡ/ | Aach /aːx/ | Auge /ˈaʊɡə/ |
| Ear | Ohr /oːr/ | Oor /oːr/ | Oor /oːr/ | Ohr /oːr/ | Oor /oːr/ | Ohr /oːɐ/ | Ohr /oːr/ |
| Nose | Nàs /nɒːs/ | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ | Nasu /ˈnaːsu/ | Naas /nɔːs/ | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ | — | Nase /ˈnaːsə/ |
| Mouth | Mül /myːl/ | Muul /muːl/ | — | Maul /maʊl/ | Muul /muːl/ | — | Mund /mʊnt/ |
| Tooth | Zohn /tsoːn/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zan /tsan/ | Zaah /tsɔː/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ | Zah /tsaː/ | Zahn /tsaːn/ |
| Tongue | Zùng /tsʊŋ/ | Zunge /ˈtsuŋə/ | Zungu /tsuŋːu/ | Zung /tsuŋ/ | Zunga /ˈtsuŋa/ | Zung /tsuŋ/ | Zunge /ˈtsʊŋə/ |
| Hand | Hànd /hɒnt/ | Hand /hand/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hant/ | Hand /hand/ | Hand /hand/ | Hand /hant/ |
| Heart | Hërz /hærts/ | Härz /hærts/ | Hërz /hɛrts/ | Hatz /hats/ | Härz /hærts/ | Herz /hɛrts/ | Herz /hɛrts/ |
| Bone | Knoche /knɔxə/ | Chnoche /ˈxnɔxə/ | Bei /bei/ | Gnoche /ˈɡnoxə/ | Chnoche /ˈxnɔxə/ | Knocha /ˈknɔxɐ/ | Knochen /ˈknɔxən/ |
| Blood | Blüet /blyət/ | Bluet /bluət/ | Bluet /bluət/ | Blut /blut/ | Bluet /bluət/ | Blut /bluːd/ | Blut /bluːt/ |
| Love | Lieb /liəp/ | Liebi /liə̯bi/ | Liebi /liə̯bi/ | liewe /liːvə/ | Liebi /ˈliə̯bi/ | Liebe /liːbə/ | Liebe /ˈliːbə/ |
| Tree | Baum /baʊm/ | Baum /baʊ̯m/ | Boum /boʊm/ | Baam /ˈbɔːm/ | Boum /bɔʊ̯m/ | Bauma /baʊmaː/ | Baum /baʊm/ |
| Dog | Hùnd /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnd/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hung /hʊŋk/ | Hund /hʊnt/ | Hund /hʊnt/ |
| Cat | Kàtz /kʰɒts/ | Chatz /xats/ | Chatz /xats/ | Katz /kats/ | Chatza /ˈxatsa/ | Katz /kats/ | Katze /ˈkatsə/ |
| Fish | Fìsch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ | Fisch /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | Vogel /foːɡəl/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | — | Voggel /fɔɡəl/ | Vogol /ˈfoɡol/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ | Vogel /ˈfoːɡl̩/ |
| Egg | Ei /ei/ | Ei /ei/ | — | Oi /ɔɪ/ | — | — | Ei /aɪ/ |
| Bear | Bär /bær/ | Bärr /bær/ | Bèèr /bɛːr/ | Baer /bɛːr/ | Bärr /bær/ | — | Bär /bɛːr/ |
| Horse | Ross /rɔs/ | Ross /rɔs/ | — | Gaul /ɡaʊ̯l/ | — | — | Pferd /pfeːrt/ |
| House | Hüs /hyːs/ | Huus /huːs/ | Hus /huːs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Hus /huːs/ | Haus /haʊs/ | Haus /haʊs/ |
| Salt | Sàlz /sɒlts/ | Salz /salts/ | Salz /salts/ | Salz /salts/ | Salz /salts/ | — | Salz /salts/ |
| Wine | Win /viːn/ | Wii /ʋiː/ | Wii /viː/ | Wei /vaɪ/ | Wii /ʋiː/ | — | Wein /vaɪ̯n/ |
| Book | Buech /buəx/ | Buech /buəx/ | — | Buch /bux/ | — | — | Buch /buːx/ |
| Eat | ësse /æsə/ | ässe /æsə/ | ässe /æsə/ | esse /ɛsə/ | ässu /ˈæsːʊ/ | esse /ɛsə/ | essen /ˈɛsn̩/ |
| Drink | trìnke /trɪŋkə/ | trinke /trɪŋkə/ | trinke /trɪŋkə/ | drinke /drɪŋkə/ | trichu /ˈtrɪxʊ/ | trinke /trɪŋkə/ | trinken /ˈtrɪŋkn̩/ |
| Sleep | schlofe /ʃloːfə/ | schlofe /ˈʃlɔːfə/ | schlaafe /ʃlaːfə/ | schlofe /ˈʃlɔfə/ | schlaaffu /ˈʃlaːfʊ/ | schlafe /ʃlaːfə/ | schlafen /ˈʃlaːfn̩/ |
| One | eins /eins/ | eis /æɪ̯s/ | eins /æɪ̯ns/ | eens /eːns/ | eis /æɪ̯s/ | ans /ans/ | eins /aɪ̯ns/ |
| Two | zwei /tsvei/ | zwöi /tsʋøi/ | zwei /tsʋei/ | zwee /tsveː/ | zwei /tsvɛi/ | zwaa /tsvaː/ | zwei /tsvaɪ̯/ |
| Three | drei /drei/ | drü /dryː/ | drii /driː/ | drei /draɪ/ | drii /driː/ | drei /draɪ/ | drei /draɪ̯/ |
| Five | fìmf /fɪmf/ | füüf /fyːf/ | füüf /fyːf/ | fimf /fɪmf/ | füüf /fyːf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ | fünf /fʏnf/ |
| Hello | Salü /saly/ | Grüezi /ɡryə̯tsi/ | Grüössi /ɡryə̯sːi/ | Hallo /haloː/ | Tagwol /ˈtaɡʋol/ | Grüß Gott /ɡrʏs ɡɔt/ | Hallo /haˈloː/ |
| Thank you | Mersi /mɛrsi/ | Merci /mɛrsi/ | Vergelts Gott /fɛrɡɛlts ɡot/ | Denki /dɛŋki/ | Vergälts Gott /fɛrɡælts ɡot/ | Vergelt's Gott /fɛɐɡɛlts ɡɔt/ | danke /ˈdaŋkə/ |
| Good | güet /ɡyət/ | guet /ɡuə̯t/ | guet /ɡuə̯t/ | gut /ɡuːt/ | güet /ɡyə̯t/ | guad /ɡuə̯d/ | gut /ɡuːt/ |
| New | nei /nei/ | nöi /nøi/ | — | nei /naɪ/ | niww /niw/ | — | neu /nɔɪ̯/ |
| Red | rot /roːt/ | rot /rɔt/ | rot /rot/ | rot /rot/ | rot /rot/ | rood /roːd/ | rot /roːt/ |
| White | wiss /vis/ | wyss /ʋiːs/ | wiiss /viːs/ | weiss /vaɪs/ | wiiss /viːs/ | weiß /vaɪs/ | weiss /vaɪs/ |
| Black | schwàrz /ʃvɒrts/ | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | — | schwatz /ʃvats/ | schwarz /ʃvarts/ | — | schwarz /ʃvarts/ |
| Green | grìen /ɡriən/ | grüen /ɡryən/ | grüe /ɡryə̯/ | grie /ɡriː/ | grie /ɡriə/ | — | grün /ɡryːn/ |
| Blue | blau /blɑu/ | blau /blɑu/ | — | bloh /bloː/ | — | — | blau /blaʊ/ |
| Tea | Tee /teː/ | Tee /teː/ | — | Tee /teː/ | — | — | Tee /teː/ |
| Coffee | Kàffee /kɒfeː/ | Kafi /ˈkafi/ | — | Kaffi /ˈkafi/ | — | — | Kaffee /ˈkafe/ |
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