East Pomeranian dialect
East Pomeranian | |
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Native to | Diaspora of German expellees in the Americas; formerly: Province of Pomerania |
Native speakers |
Native: ≅ 300.000 |
Indo-European
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Official status | |
Official language in |
Brazil (11 municipalities) |
Recognised minority language in |
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Language codes | |
ISO 639-2 |
nds for Low German
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ISO 639-3 |
nds for Low German
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East Pomeranian (Ostpommersch) or Farther Pomeranian (Hinterpommersch) is a East Low German dialect moribund in Europe, which used to be spoken in the region of Farther Pomerania when it was part of the German Province of Pomerania, until World War II, and today is part of Poland. Currently, the language survives mainly in Brazil, where it is spoken by descendants of Germans expelled after the war and where it was given its own script by the linguist Ismael Tressmann. It has co-official status in 11 Brazilian municipalities and has been recognized as a historical and cultural heritage of the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. East Pomeranian is also spoken in central Wisconsin and parts of Iowa, in the United States.
Nowadays, spoken East Pomeranian in Brazil has mostly been influenced by Portuguese language and Hunsrik, a German dialect derived from the Hunsrückisch native to Brazil. It excludes the dialect spoken in the United States, known as Wisconsin Pomeranian, which was influenced by the English language.
The varieties of East Pomeranian are: Westhinterpommersch, Osthinterpommersch, Bublitzisch around Bobolice and Pommerellisch; Further the east, German dialects transitioned to Low Prussian-East Pomeranian and Vistula Delta German spoken in and around Danzig/Gdansk.
Brazilian Municipalities that have co-official East Pomeranian dialect
Espírito Santo
- Afonso Cláudio (in the district of Mata Fria)
- Domingos Martins
- Itarana
- Laranja da Terra
- Pancas
- Santa Maria de Jetibá
- Vila Pavão
Minas Gerais
- Itueta (only in the district of Vila Neitzel)
Santa Catarina
Rio Grande do Sul
- Canguçu
- São Lourenço do Sul (under approval)
Rondônia
- Espigão d'Oeste (under approval)