Niederdeutsch
Niederdeutsch, commonly referred to as Plattdeutsch, is a West Germanic language spoken in northern Germany and in parts of the Netherlands. It belongs to the Low German branch of the West Germanic language family and is distinct from Hochdeutsch, or Standard German. Historically it developed from Old Saxon and has its own phonology, grammar, and vocabulary.
Geographically, Niederdeutsch is strongest in the coastal and inland regions of Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, and
Dialects of Niederdeutsch form a broad family within Northern Low Saxon. Notable varieties include Hamburger Platt,
Writing in Niederdeutsch lacks a single nationwide standard. Writers often use dialect-specific spellings or write with
Today Niederdeutsch faces continued pressure from Standard German, particularly among younger speakers, but it retains a