High German
Definition
Proper noun The standard literary and official form of the German language, historically developed from West Germanic dialects. It is characterized by the High German consonant shift and is the language of government, education, and media in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other regions.
Usage
"High German" refers specifically to the standardized variety of the German language. It is used to distinguish the standard language from other German dialects, especially Low German (Plattdeutsch). * The university teaches High German literature and grammar. * While my grandmother speaks a local dialect, I learned High German in school.
Advanced Usage
- Historically: The term can refer to the group of Central and Upper German dialects from which the modern standard language was formed.
- Luther's Bible translation was instrumental in creating a unified High German literary language.
Variants and Related Words
- Standard German: A more precise synonym for the modern standardized language.
- Hochdeutsch: The German term for High German.
- Low German (Plattdeutsch): The group of German dialects not affected by the High German consonant shift, spoken mainly in northern Germany.
Synonyms
- Standard German
- German (when referring to the standard language in context)
Notes on Different Meanings
- High German is not simply "German spoken at a high level." It is a specific linguistic term for the standard language and its historical dialect group.
- It contrasts primarily with Low German, not with "low-quality German." The "high" refers to the geographic origin in the central and southern highlands of the German-speaking area.
Noun
-
the standard German language; developed historically from West Germanic
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