South Guelderish
South Guelderish (Dutch: Zuid-Gelders [ˌzœytˈxɛldərs]; German: Südgeldersch or Kleverländisch, considered to be two different although related dialects[1]) refers to the easternmost group of Low Franconian dialects spoken along the lower Rhine (Dutch Nederrijn and German Niederrhein). In its narrower sense, the term refers strictly to the Rivierenlands (nl), Nijmeegs, and Liemers sub-dialects; in its broader sense, the term encompasses also North Limburgish in the Netherlands and Kleverlandish (around Cleves; Dutch Kleverlands, German Kleverländisch) in Germany. South Guelderish (in the narrow sense) — especially Rivierenlands — is sometimes included as part of Brabantic, a more widely spoken Dutch dialect and the closest relative of South Guelderish. Alternatively, it is considered to extend southward into Northern Limburg until the Uerdingen line.
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In the Netherlands, South Guelderish is spoken in the following regions: North Limburg, the Veluwezoom National Park, Rijk van Nijmegen, Land van Maas en Waal, the Bommelerwaard, the Tielerwaard, the Betuwe, Land van Cuijk and Liemers.
Status
The political status of Low Franconian (or East Dutch: South Guelderish (narrow sense), North Limburgish and Kleverlandish) dialects, including South Guelderish, has long differed greatly between the Netherlands and Germany. In the Netherlands, East Dutch has long been subject to the influence of Standard Dutch. Since it is a Dutch dialect, it is already similar enough to the standard language to have not been greatly influenced. In Germany, however, since 1713, when Prussia took control of the area, dialects such as Kleverlandish have been in retreat under the pressure of Standard German, to which they were previously only distantly related. This influence has been strongest in the vocabulary used, in areas where Low Franconian was previously spoken.
Furthermore, large-scale industrialization in the Cleves–Duisburg area in Germany, as well as the resulting immigration, during the late 19th century and the 20th century, has greatly reduced its use today, leaving very few native speakers. For example, in Duisburg (though traditionally within the South Guelderish area), it has virtually died out. (See Duisburg dialect.)
As noted before, South Guelderish is sometimes included within Brabantic. That is because there exists no tight isogloss bundle between the Brabantic and South Guelderish dialects. Instead, change occurs in two individual steps: the alt-oud isogloss, between Groesbeek and Nijmegen, and the ies-ijs and the huis-huus isoglosses west of Nijmegen.
References
- Hartmut Ronge, Langenscheidt Sprachkalender 2023: Dialekte, PONS (which took over Langenscheidt), Stuttgart, 2022, Kuuke (Kleverländisch) in KW 24: "Kleverländisch bzw. Klevisch ist mit dem Südgelderschen und dem Bergischen verwandt, gehört zur nordniederfränkischen Dialektgruppe in Nordrhein-Westfalen und wird auch in grenznahen Gebieten der Niederlande gesprochen."