frisian

Frisian refers to a group of closely related West Germanic languages spoken by the Frisian people of the North Sea coast, and to the people themselves. Historically, Frisia spans parts of the Netherlands, especially the province of Friesland (Fryslân), and northern Germany in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. The languages are distinct from Dutch and German but share a common Germanic heritage; they are closely related to English and Dutch.

The living Frisian languages are West Frisian, North Frisian, and Saterland Frisian. West Frisian is spoken in Friesland and is an official language of the province alongside Dutch. North Frisian and Saterland Frisian survive as minority languages in Germany, with education and media support to varying degrees and different regional standards.

West Frisian, North Frisian, and Saterland Frisian are written using the Latin alphabet. West Frisian has a standardized orthography used in schools, media, and government in the Netherlands; the German Frisian varieties use several dialect-based spellings and local standards.

Frisian culture includes distinct folklore, music, and regional identities tied to coastal communities and farming. The Frisian language movement promotes language preservation and bilingual signage in some areas. The term Frisia is also used in historical and geographic contexts to describe the wider coastal region.