Low Franconian | |
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Lower Franconian, Low Frankish; Netherlandic, Netherlandish Dutch: Nederfrankisch; High German: Niederfränkisch | |
Geographic distribution | Netherlands, northern Belgium, northern France, western Germany, Suriname, Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, Namibia and South Africa |
Linguistic classification | Indo-European
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Early form | |
Subdivisions |
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Glottolog | wese1235 (Macro-Dutch) macr1270 |
![]() Distribution of Low Franconian, including the Low Franconian–Ripuarian transition area in Limburg and West Germany. |
In historical and comparative linguistics, Low Franconian is a linguistic category used to classify a number of historical and contemporary West Germanic varieties closely related to, and including, the Dutch language. Most dialects and languages included within this category are spoken in the Netherlands, northern Belgium (Flanders), in the Nord department of France, in western Germany (Lower Rhine), as well as in Suriname, South Africa and Namibia.