Schwäbisch

Schwäbisch is the group of Alemannic dialects spoken in Swabia, a historical region in southwestern Germany. The term also functions as an adjective and demonym for people, language, and culture associated with Swabia. As a German dialect, Schwäbisch differs from Standard German in pronunciation, vocabulary, and certain syntactic patterns, while remaining mutually intelligible to many German speakers.

Geographically, Schwäbisch is spoken mainly in Baden-Württemberg—around Stuttgart, Ulm, Tübingen, and the Swabian Alb—and in parts of Bavaria referred to as Bavarian Swabia. The dialect exists in numerous local subdialects, with marked variation between towns and valleys. In urban settings, Standard German predominates in formal contexts, while Schwäbisch remains common in everyday conversation.

Linguistically, Schwäbisch belongs to the Alemannic branch of Upper German, within the Alemannic dialect continuum. It exhibits regional variation and is distinguished by characteristic pronunciation and lexical differences from Standard German. As with other regional dialects, speakers often switch to Standard German in education, media, and official communication, maintaining Schwäbisch in family and local culture.

Culturally, Swabian identity is associated with regional cuisine such as Spätzle and Maultaschen, as well as traditional crafts and festivals. The dialect functions as a marker of local heritage, and there are ongoing efforts to document and promote Schwäbisch in media and education while balancing its use with Standard German in public life.