West_Frisian_languages

West Frisian languages

West Frisian languages

Group of languages of the Netherlands


The West Frisian languages are a group of closely related, though not mutually intelligible, Frisian languages of the Netherlands. Due to the marginalization of all but mainland West Frisian, they are often portrayed as dialects of a single language. (See that article for the history of the languages.)

Quick Facts Ethnicity, Geographic distribution ...

Languages

Not all West Frisian varieties spoken in Dutch Friesland are mutually intelligible. The varieties on the islands are rather divergent, and Glottolog distinguishes four languages:[1]

  • Hindeloopen Frisian (Hylpersk, Dutch Hindeloopers and Molkwerums), an archaic dialect of the peninsular harbour town of Hindeloopen (Hylpen) and the village of Molkwerum on the west coast, is spoken by, at the most, some 300 people.
  • Schiermonnikoog Frisian Skiermûntseagersk, the most endangered West Frisian language, is spoken on the island of Schiermonnikoog (Skiermûntseach) by no more than 50–100 people (out of an island population of 900).
  • Westlauwers–Terschellings

References

  1. Hammarström, Harald; Forke, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin; Bank, Sebastian, eds. (2020). "Modern West Frisian". Glottolog 4.3.

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