North Frisian is a minority language of Germany, spoken by about 10,000 people in North Frisia (North Frisian Fraschlönj). There are two main dialectal divisions, between those dialects of the mainland, and the insular dialects. There is no standard variety, although some have suggested the Mainland dialect of Mooring.

Samples

The sentence displayed below in many variants reads: '"Shine, old moon, shine!", cried Häwelmann, but neither the moon nor the stars were anywhere to be seen; they had all already gone to bed.'

Insular

Dialect of Sylt (Söl’)

„Ljucht, ual Muun, ljucht!” skriilt Häwelmann, man di Muun wiar narigen tö sen en uk di Stiaren ek; ja wiar al altermaal tö Ber gingen.

Dialect of Föhr (Feer)

„Locht, ual muun, locht!” rep Heewelmaan, man a muun wiar nochhuaren tu sen an a stäären uk ei; jo wiar al altermaal tu baad gingen.

Dialect of Helgoland

„Lochte, ool Muun, lochte!” rüp Heäwelman, oawers de Muun wear naarni tu sin’n en uk de Steern ni; dja wear al allemoal tu Baad gingen.

Dialect of Amrum (Öömram)

„Locht, dü ual muun, locht!” rep Heewelmaan, man a muun wiar nochhuaren tu sen an a stäären uk ei; jo wiar al altumaal tu baad gingen.

Mainland

Dialect of Hoorning (Goesharde)

„Jocht, uule moune, jocht!” biilked Hääwelmoon, ors e moune waas närngs to schüns än da steere ok ai; ja weern al aal to beede gingen.

Dialect of Wiedingharde

„Ljocht, uuile moone, ljocht!” biilked Hääwelmuon, män e moone was näärgen to schüns än uk e steere ai; jä würn al altomoale to beerd gingen.

Dialect of Tideland Islands (although it is spoken on islands, it is linguistically grouped with the mainland dialects)

„Jaacht, uale mööne, jaacht!” bölked Hääwelmoon, man de mööne woas näärngs to siinen än de steere uk ee; jä weern al altomaole to beed giangen.

Dialect of Mooring (Bökingharde)

„Jucht, üülje moune, jucht!” biiljked Hääwelmoon, ouers e moune wus nargne tu schüns än e stääre uk ai; ja wjarn ål åltumååle tu beed lim.

Note that, despite the differences between the dialects, the dialects of Föhr and Amrum are highly similar; in this example nearly identical.

See also

• Frisia
• Frisian language
• Frisian Islands
• Frisians

External links

• de:s:Friesisch-Gesetz - de:s:Hauptseite with a law about Northern Frisian
• Ethnologue on North Frisian
• Nordfriisk Instituut (North Frisian Institute) - homepage (mainly in German)

Frisian language | Languages of Germany | Languages of Denmark

Nordfrisisk (sprog) | Nordfriesische Sprache | Noardfrysk | Frisone settentrionale | Noordfries | Noord-Fries