Dialects in Wuppertal

German dialects since 1945

In the urban area of Wuppertal there are several dialect groups in parts of the city that have developed due to several language barriers.

Historical overview

The area of today's Wuppertal has been involved in various historical processes, mostly as the target of different territorial interests . Since the early Middle Ages, the east of today's urban area has also been in the border area between the Franconian settlement area and the area of the Borchter , a former Franconian tribe, which was ruled by the Saxons . This separation is still reflected today in the border between Rhineland and Westphalia . The settlement of the Wupper area between the 7th and 9th centuries took place both from the Franconian and from the Saxon side.

In the 13th century, settlement centers formed in Wuppertal, which were all under the rule of the Bergisch dukes until the 15th century , but mostly came from the pre- Bergisch era and represented the dialects of their settlement direction.

This centuries-old development is reflected in the diverse Wuppertal dialects , the development of which was extremely complicated and has not yet been researched in detail. As part of the three adjoining domains of the Rhineland ( Düsseldorf , Duisburg , Krefeld ), Westphalia and the Archdiocese of Cologne , the historical development led to the emergence of three language areas , which are separated from each other by isoglosses .

As a result of the industrial revolution ( textile industry ) in the 19th century, a lively stream of people found their way into the valley of the Wupper . The sister cities of Barmen and Elberfeld developed into the largest and economically strongest cities in what is now North Rhine-Westphalia . Together they surpassed the cities of Cologne , Düsseldorf and Essen at the time . This immigration was reflected in a linguistic expansion of the local dialects and district-specific dialects were formed. A distinction is therefore made today between Barmer Platt , Elberfelder Platt , Ronsdorfer Platt and Cronenberger Platt .

Main dialect rooms

In Wuppertal, four main dialect areas can be identified, which are separated from one another by recognizable language barriers. In the south the Ripuarian dialect group , in the west the South Lower Franconian (outdated East Limburg ) dialect area, in the middle the Ostberg dialect area and in the east the Märkisch Platt .

The language borders of the Wuppertal area

The principal lines in the linguistic transition region (westmittel-) German dialects from low Fränkischen about Ripuarian and Mosel Frankish to Rhein Fränkischen are in the so-called Rheinische compartments . In particular, the Benrather line and the Uerdinger line run through the Wuppertal area.

The Benrather or maken / make line

The Benrath linguistic line , which emerged in the 13th century, runs in the Wuppertal area in a west-east direction between Benrath (today Düsseldorf), the south of Solingen , Burg an der Wupper and the south of Remscheid and thus just south of the Wuppertal city limits. However, it does not designate a sharp language boundary, but a transition within the continental-West Germanic dialect continuum .

It delimits the Ripuarian (Cologne) -franconian and Moselle-Franconian area , which unfolds from the south, from the Lower Franconian dialect area. Today, the Benrath line represents the most important, unchanged valid and always verifiable language border between the Low German and Lower Franconian on the one hand and the High German dialect areas on the other. The Wuppertal districts of Vohwinkel , Cronenberg and Ronsdorf belong to the Low German and Lower Franconian maken area within the dialect continuum . The towns of Leichlingen and Burscheid to the south of it, as well as Solingen's Burg an der Wupper district, are part of the High German make area .

The Uerdinger or ek / ech line

The Uerdinger linguistic line , which emerged in the 14th to 16th centuries, branches off from the Benrath line to the north between the towns of Hückeswagen and Wermelskirchen , initially leads northwards along the Wupper and linguistically separates Solingen and Wuppertal- Vohwinkel from the eastern Wuppertal districts. To the east of the line is the Ostberg dialect area, to the west is the South Lower Franconian (outdated East Limburg ) dialect area.

This line mainly affects the words I and also , so it is shaped by individual occurrences of Standard German. Remscheid - Lüttringhausen , Wuppertal- Beyenburg , Wuppertal- Elberfeld , Wuppertal- Barmen and Velbert - Langenberg (Rhineland) belong to the ek area ( Lower Franconia ) . The real area (high German) includes Remscheid, Wuppertal- Cronenberg , Wuppertal- Ronsdorf , Wuppertal- Sonnborn , Velbert- Neviges and Velbert. Within this borderline to Westphalian, the phonetic changes ek / ech, sek / six and mek / mech are also evident.

The Westphalian or et / en line

The Westphalian Line essentially coincides with the border that ran between the Saxons and Franks and later between the former Duchy of Berg and the County of Mark . The Bergisch Barmen shifted its eastern border twice to the east around 1400 and 1922, so that this language border now runs in a north-south direction through the middle of today's Wuppertal district. To the east of this language border are Radevormwald , Schwelm , Wuppertal- Nachbarebreck , Wuppertal- Langerfeld and Essen .

The Westphalian line separates the Ostberg dialect area from the Brandenburg region of Platt .

The Wupper Line

The complexity of the linguistic lines can be seen in another borderline, which is related to the course of the Wupper in the Kohlfurth : The dialects Wuppertal-Cronenberg and Remscheid on the eastern and Solingen (including Gräfrath ) on the western side of the Wupper differ significantly from each other. Examples:

East: Ketel, Lepel, Beker, Buem, schwatt, Hatte
West: Kessel, Leffel, Becher, Bourn, Schwart, Hert

Summary

In summary, the following picture emerges: The Upper Berg dialects belong to the Ripuarian-Middle Franconian, i.e. the High German, more precisely: the Central German language area, the dialects between the Rhine and Sonnborn, Unterwupper and Ruhr are Lower Franconian transitional dialects. Wuppertal-Elberfeld (except Wuppertal-Sonnborn) and Wuppertal-Barmen (except Wuppertal-Nachbarebreck and Wuppertal-Langerfeld) belong to the Lower Franconian language area, which extends in the south to Wipperfürth and widens in the north and z. B. also includes Dutch.

In Wuppertal-Elberfeld, which was more heavily influenced by the Rhenish-Cologne region, there are also linguistic tendencies. The eastern part of Wuppertal-Barmen belonged ecclesiastically and judicially to Westphalia (Mark), Schwelm and Wetter for a long time . This also left traces of language.

Language examples

Standard German	Elberfeld	Cronenberg	Langerfeld	Barmen	English	Dutch
old	aul	ault	old	old	old	oud
Elberfeld	Elberfeil	Elwerfeil		Elwerfeld
patiently	patient	gedü-elech		dodgy		patiently
crooked	kraum	kroump		crooked		krom
air	According to	Lout	hole	Loft		ls
my	ming	ming	min	min	mine	mijn
Torment	Ping	Ping		Pien	Pain	pijn
purely	reng	run	pure	reen		purely
Quiet	Rough	Rouh		Rou		rust
salt	Sault	Sault	Solt	Solt	Salt	zout
I am	corner them	real sense	corner sin	ek them	I am	ik ben
I go	corner enough	eh gonn		ek go	I go	ik ga
I have	Eck hann	eh hann		ek häw	I have	ik heb
book	Bok	Bu-ek	Bauk	Book	Book	boek
to fly	fleegen	to fly	fluffy	clean	fly	vlie
freeze	freesen	fry	fraise	fry	freeze	vriezen
high	high	hu-e	hoge	huach	high	hoog
dog	Honk	Hongk	Rue	Hongk	hound	hond
cap	Hot	Hu-et	skin	Hoot	Hood	hoed
mother	Moder	Mu-eder	Moer	Moder	Mother	moeder
speak	bang	bang	elect	bang	call	praten
tell	distribute	distribute	distribute	vote	tell	distribute

Example Oberbarmer Platt

Oberbarmer Platt by Bernd Lehmbach-Voßdahls

In spoken language

De great tears man schtenkönd fuul,

so laabot poor Lütt dat Muul.

Yes, don't tag on ock knock,

Demm Angon, dat big Frässbrätt schtoppön.

Schiilze no Angon mean Schixe,

cress old already wiar wixe.

Hates made as feces,

kiss mols stupid laundry,

cress van de Ollen ock no Drasche.

The box göflickt, the look em Driet,

dat wor as mols en Schlaite Tied.

Krechtze ock öfto wat anne Ooren,

send wo do all grown grotesque.

Trümmo is fed up with

Hütt it dat awwer en large Schtatt.

Met Oppasso vam Amt oh wat fain,

dä'önse fröher ock gään Pansch sain

What then? Thu bad flat!

Brunköppe was quick at the gate.

Dröm is working on

honest in your deed,

dat es no Owobarmo Aat.

Example of the Cronenberg dialect

Qui-ekenfusel by Manfred Osper

Vuogelski-eschen vam Qui-ekenbuom,

gowen dänn aulen geföalechen cloars.

Datt Tüch wo-ar enn d'r Mu-elen ku-em,

do enough old datt Fu-er ut d'r Juppe lost.

Nomm ti-end woaren se pleesterscheel,

deified Moses on the prophets,

on komen nit rut ut där Mukendeel,

gow-ett do u-ech still gett te eten.

Enn Linnewer kohm enn de Mau,

then gong'et hi-em, no där li-ewen woman.

On die fong schwalkech aan te sengen:

"Owes di-este hop on blow,

On tomorrow you can't fix a box. "

De rest wo-ar - like angersch - Schabau .

Example of the Barmer dialect

I-Dötzchen from Else Küllenberg

Nu kiek ens aan da kleene Stropp,

how loosely ha met Kenger charm,

omm Räuen think of new bags,

a giant bare arm

seck oppem schoalwechsel heet worked!

The moderation is still packed

on brengten böß tur poten hen,

then loosens your ear strong hank,

desolder the Kleng dat stöck alleen

en senses new kenger world.

Off deck dat, Jönken, getz pleases,

stellsetten op ner häulern bench,

do reknen, schriewen all thanks?

Schoalmeester maken deck getz klog

on learning deck de reite Sprok.

Omm Schoalhoff awe a little,

dinn camera bellows yawn.

Dat göfft molls knees on total noise.

Macksse dobi just been fast,

or heesse selfs wat en de Mau?

Just get your deck! Et Lewen blinks

chin kengerspeel. You fluid, bold!

Haul Herz on Senn am reiten Fleckl

The world bridges gentle love.

Fulpelz on Brunköpp don't do it!

Example: Elberfelder Platt

by Rudolf Schwander

Us Elberfeil

Nu kallent, wat jött kallen welln!

Ek sei on stayed dobie:

I just love an Elberfeil,

on dat es uset here.

How heet seck dat erut gedonn!

The corner of the sun bellow is still wohr.

Kank eck builds every stowendöar,

dat it nu nit mear wohr.

Wherever me kicks, there is now

Se build keng Hüskes mear-

A city of people

Me almost sings not de kear.

Om new Matt, wat thinks de wall,

Where does de Eeke stong sit,

Thu are sun Kähls van Steen, hen löppt

et Water ut de Monk.

En Rothus es do newenaan,

Soa es keent en Berlin;

On when et nit en Rothus wör,

Kön et en Kirke sinn.

Johannesberg, you leewe Tied!

In town hall it et nu,

That it is soa nice, you don't glimpse,

On everything flows dropp do.

Dä Brusenweat it opgeschott,

De Kirmes es perdü,

De Foa on't Möhlenschött are futt,

Mer pals see me here.

De Wopper is so tight

And it is quite wet

That's nothing! You heet et ok

often relished herbs.

On dröwer es en Iserwerk,

there are cars on it,

they loop like a thunder keel;

Me nommt et Schwewelsbahn.

Wä op de pedagogical mark wished,

there is now nothing mear ut;

Em wuppig eat a city,

On een, two, three wea rut.

Ok loop Wages op de Strot

van selwer, without päd,

How do you think about it?

Et es de Möte wät!

Dröm kallent, wat jött kallen waves!

Eck was on stayed dobi;