North Frisian is spoken in Schleswig-Holstein in the rural district of North Frisia (Nordfriesland) in northern Germany. The language area comprises part of the mainland, the islands of Sylt, Föhr, Amrum and Heligoland, and the small islands of the Halligen archipelago.
Though North Frisian has no official status in Germany, it is occasionally used at local council meetings, etc. A few villages have Frisian road signs and bilingual place names are allowed. Frisian house names are popular, particularly on the islands where Frisian is spoken. The language is taught for a couple of hours a week in schools and there are a number of Frisian courses for adults throughout the region. There are regular, short broadcasts in Frisian on the radio, occasional Frisian articles in the German newspapers, and some Frisian literature, theatre and choirs.
North Frisian dialects are grouped into two main divisions: mainland and insular. Insular dialects are Sylt Frisian (Söl'ring), Föhr-Amrum Frisian (Fering/Öömrang), Heligolandic Frisian (Halunder).
Mainland dialects are: Wiedingharde Frisian, Bökingharde Frisian (Mooring), Karrharde Frisian, Northern Goesharde Frisian, Central Goesharde Frisian, Southern Goesharde Frisian (extinct since 1981) and Halligen Frisian.
Ale mänskene sän fri, likwjarti än mä däsjilwe rochte toläid. Jä hääwe ferstand än gewääten mäfingen än skuulin enoor äs broorne oonmuittreere.
Åle manschne san fri, likwjardi än ma daseelwie ruchte tuläid. Ja hääwe ferstånd än gewääten mafüngen än schönj enouder as brouderne önjtiinjtreese.
Ale mänschne sän fri, glikweerti än mä däseelwie rochte tolaid. Jä hääwe ferstand än gewääten mäfüngen än schouln enår as bråre ounjintree'e.
Ale mänskene sän frai, glikweerti än mä de sälefste rochte tolaid. Jä hääwe ferstand än gewääten mäfungen än sköön nöör as bröörne ööntiantree'e.
Ali Mensken sen frii, likwērtig en me disalev Rochten bēren. Ja haa Forstant en Giweeten mefingen en skul arküđer üs Bröđern öntöögentreer.
Hear a recording of this text by Tanno Hüttenrauch
Ale mensken san frei, likwäärtig an mä dönsalew rochten bäären. Jo haa ferstant an geweeten mäfingen an skul enöler üüs breler uunjintreed.
Ale minsken san frei, likwäärtag an mä josalew rochten bäären. Jo haa ferstant an geweeten mäfüngen an skul enööder üs breder uunjintreed.
Alle Mensken sen frai, likwörti en med de sallowski Rechten geboorn. Djo hoa Ferstant en Geweeten medfin'n en skul arker as Bruurs uundjintreed.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
Information about pronunciation and sample texts provided by François Paes, Pyt Kramer, Reinhard Hahn and the NordFriisk Instituut.
Information about North Frisian | Phrases (Mooring Frisian) | Phrases (Sylt Frisan) | Numbers (Mooring Frisian) | Numbers (Sylt Frisan)
Information about North Frisian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Frisian_language
http://www.nordfriiskinstituut.de/englisch.html
http://languagecontact.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/ELA/languages/Frisian.html
http://www.uoc.edu/euromosaic/web/document/friso/an/i3/i3.html
http://www1.fa.knaw.nl/noardfrysk/
http://www1.fa.knaw.nl/noardfrysk/spraaklear.html
North Frisian dictionary (Deutsch-Sölring Wörterbuch)
https://friisk.org/
Online North Frisian Radio
http://www.nfradio.de
Afrikaans, Alsatian, Bavarian, Cimbrian, Danish, Dutch, Elfdalian, English, Faroese, Flemish, Frisian (East), Frisian (North), Frisian (Saterland), Frisian (West), German, Gothic, Gottscheerish, Gronings, Hunsrik, Icelandic, Limburgish, Low German, Luxembourgish, Mòcheno, Norn, Norwegian, Old English, Old Norse, Pennsylvania German, Ripuarian, Scots, Shetland(ic), Stellingwarfs, Swabian, Swedish, Swiss German, Transylvanian Saxon, Värmlandic, Wymysorys, Yiddish, Yola, Zeelandic
Languages written with the Latin alphabet
Page last modified: 23.04.21
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