Compare two dialects of German side by side — where they're spoken, what they're called, and how they relate.
Standard German · Standard High German · Schriftdeutsch
The codified standard variety of German used in education, media, and administration across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Based on the High German consonant shift and a written norm dating to Luther; the spoken standard is conventionally associated with the Hanover region of Lower Saxony.
Cologne German · Ripuarian
A Ripuarian Central Franconian dialect spoken in Cologne and the surrounding Rhineland. Distinctive for its melodic intonation and rich local vocabulary.
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