Goondach - Hello in Plautdietsch
-
Goondach is a common greeting in Plautdietsch. We present to you some interesting information about the language and the people who speak the language.
In case you are one of them who speak Plautdietsch and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.
Plautdietsch is an exclusive language of the Mennonites, a religious group primarily from Belgium and Holland. With time, they settled in Canada, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Germany, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Paraguay, and in the United States, especially in the city of Hillsboro in Kansas, in Reedley, California, and the town of Corn in Oklahoma.
(Image Courtesy: https://geneticliteracyproject.org/)Here are 6 interesting things about Plautdietsch you would love to know:
Plattdeutsch has many alias Plattdütsch, Low German, Plattdüütsch, Plattdütsk, Plattduitsk, Niederdeutsch, Nederduits, Nedersaksisch, Plattysk, Nedertysk, Lavtysk.
Plattdeutsch is closely associated with English, Dutch, and Frisian.
Many intellectuals consider Plattdeutsch as a dialect rather than a language. But European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages acknowledged Plattdeutsch as a regional language in Germany and the Netherlands in 1999. (Source: https://theculturetrip.com/)
Plattdeutsch played a vital role in Mennonite society, but also the dividing line between Low and High German dialects runs rather far to the North in the East of the German-speaking area.
Homer Groening, the father of Matt Groening, who created The Simpsons, spoke Plautdietsch as a child, although his son does not speak the language.
(Image Courtesy: Disney)
UNESCO reiterated that the number of Plattdeutsch speakers in the world is on a steady decline. And the language has almost died out in certain regions where it used to be spoken before. (Source: https://theculturetrip.com/)We must keep the ancient languages alive. If you know Plattdeutsch, let us know what you are doing to keep the language alive.
Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Plautdietsch, let us all know!