Niedersächsisch

Niedersächsisch refers to the group of Low German (Niederdeutsch) dialects traditionally spoken in the German state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) and surrounding areas in northwestern Germany. It is part of the West Germanic language family, within the Low German (Plattdeutsch) branch, which is distinct from High German. Niedersächsisch exists as a regional dialect continuum with considerable variation across communities; inland, coastal, and urban varieties differ in pronunciation, vocabulary, and some grammatical tendencies. In daily life it coexists with Standard German, which is used in schools, media, administration, and formal contexts; Niedersächsisch is mainly used in informal speech, family and local culture, and is subject to ongoing transmission to children.

The status of Niedersächsisch is that it is not an official language but is recognized as a regional/dialectal variety with cultural importance. There are active efforts to document and preserve it, including linguistic research, local media programs in Low German, and cultural associations. The dialect has features typical of Low German, such as relatively simpler vowel systems compared with Standard German and certain lexical items unique to regional speech, though specific features vary by locality. Scholarly attention treats Niedersächsisch as part of the broader Niederdeutsch dialect continuum rather than a centrally codified language. It remains an important facet of regional identity in parts of Lower Saxony and neighboring areas.