Plattdüütsch - a special northern German dialect

If you live in Hamburg for longer, you will probably hear some very strange words (apart from the usual strange German words ). Some of them might sound quite familiar, though.

Plattdüütsch, also: Plattdütsch (= Plattdeutsch = low German/flat German) is being spoken in many areas, most active in Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Niedersachsen. But you will also find it in the Netherlands, Denmark, even parts of Poland.

Living in Hamburg you should know some basics, which I would like to collect here...

...and start with the most important word:

moin = hello
moin moin = (have a) good day

...and carry on with my favourite word:

Schietbüddel = crap bag = Scheißtüte (literal meaning) but standing for kleiner Scheißer = little bugger

The literal meaning crap bag might sound a little harsh, but "mien lütten Schietbüddel" is usually used as a term of endearment for kids, or maybe your partner.

Moin is fun to use but you really don't need to know any "Platt" whatsoever living in Hamburg. And for those of you willing to learn: http://www.plattmaster.de/wordbook.htm
All'ns klor? Denn man... Moin Moin

Didsbury's Daftest: was it not obvious that I wasn't really serious?
Maybe not - I had a in the title but it was deleted by mod...

Anyway - of course it is not a MUST to know Platt, but it is fun.

Just wanted to collect some funny words here... but there's always somebody who knows better

Alln's chlor, wie der Taucher sagt.

Ooooh...can't help you with Hamburg, but I grew up speaking the Saarbruecker dialect... Can speak it, couldn't hope to write it. Not too many Saarlaenders around these parts...

Is it a written dialect, anyway, bern?

One of my German teacher's pet peeves was written Bayrisch. He said the dialect was never meant to be written.

Good point but since I'm not that good at writing hoch deutsch either, I'll just stick with verbal communication, platt or otherwise.

Think he has a point there - problem is (don't know about other dialects, but know about Platt) that less people are actually speaking the dialect. So how would you learn it, if there weren't e.g. some internet sites showing you.

There's a growing number of young people who want to prevent platt from becoming extinct, though. Think that's a good thing, cos I just like to hear Platt. It reminds me of my childhodd, when my Mum used to speak Platt with her family. I don't really speak Platt, I know quite a lot, but now enough for a proper conversation, although I understand most of it.

In case you're interested:
There's a lot of Asterix and Obelix books in Mundart, even one for Hamburger Snack. Think the first one in Platt was de Törn för nix really funny.
It's also available in Münchnerisch, Hessisch, Kölsch and lots of other dialects.
Unfortunately Asterix does not (yet) speak English dialects (AFAIK) - would be funny to read it in Cockney, or Glaswegian

Anyway, back to the topic.

The platt word of the day is

Katteekersteert = Eichhörnchenschwanz = Squirrel's tail = (for the Bavarians) Oachkatzlschwoaf (sorry Cinzia )

Platt is not a "dialect", it's a language spoken in many parts of the lowlands, from Germany into the Netherlands, Jutland and more. Platt is an official "regional language" under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. It's related to Frisian which is one of the roots of English, and it's surprisingly easy for English speakers to understand. You can hear platt all over the world: Mennonites speak it.

There's a weekly show on NDR called "Talk op platt" (Sundays, 14:30) which is -- surprise, surprise -- done purely in platt. Also, Platt On-line is a pretty good starting site.

For the pedants and those who fear them/us, Platt has no official orthography: writing and spelling are based on a mix of Dutch and German conventions. The language doesn't even have One True Official Name -- the following is not an exclsive list of what the language is spelled/called: Platt, Plat, Plaut, Plattdeutsch, Plattduetsch, Plattduutsch, Plattdutch, Platduits, Plautdietsch, Platdutsk, Platsnackers, Platsnakers.

woof.

How to turn a fun thread serious in one easy step by BadDoggie.

Right Mat. Thanks.

I don't really see the point in discussing language and dialect here.

For those interested, have a look here: Dialect - Wikipedia

Where did I kill the fun? What "fun" exactly? I provided a few links, some information and I figured most of the people here would rejoice that the pedants here can't say much when it comes to Platt. Bite me.

woof.

The information you provided is very interesting - it's the smartarsing that annoys me.

Especially as there are no universally accepted criteria for distinguishing languages from dialects.
And Jutland is a peninsula. It's partly in Denmark, partly in Germany (Schleswig-Holstein) - and I mentioned that Platt is spoken in Schleswig Holstein and Denmark. My bit of smartarsing

So why not just return to the actual intention of the thread: collecting some funny words in Plattdütsch, useful or not.

Have a sunny day

Also one of my favourite words:

Spökenkieker

literal meaning: Geisterseher (Spöken = Geister/ghosts, kieken = sehen, schauen/see, peer)
Someone who can see gosts, resp. believes in ghosts and other supernatural things.
Also used for being clairvoyant, for a visionary.
Can also describe someone who is a bit queer/whimsical, a lunatic.

Now I wonder why...wasn't Schleswig Holstein once reigned by the Danes? Platt is en Weltsprook!!

Yep. That's why Altona is still Danish!


Dat mach's wohl luud seggen, du!

eeep! Platt deutsch hurts my ears.

Well, as long as your ears are not bleeding... (like mine when I hear Bavarian, or Blasmusik...)

One of my favorite songs is Knut Kiesewetter's "Min Gott, he kann kei Pladdütsch mehr". I do understand about 75% in spite of speaking perfect Bayrisch. Get me to Hamburg for 3 months and I'll pick up the lingo (I hope).

Some time ago they ran a series on NRD2 radio "Schwäbish für Fishköpfe"

When I go on hols on schwäbische Alb I get to hear "Die Fische sind wieder da"
which is their explanation for why the weather has suddenly gone bad

Plattdütsch is actually pretty "HOT"...You may have heard of "Fettes Brot" and their song "Nordish by Nature"?

The rap in Plattdütsch the first part and where i´m from, Lüneburger Heath, most of the people do talk up

platt even from my generation which is pretty cool...

Kiek mol:

"Een, twej, een twej, drej.
Sech mol "Hey" sech mol "Hoo".
Dat is Fettes Brot op platt inne Disco.
Jo ick buen de Jung achtern Plattenspeeler"...

I like the old songs to, like An der Eck or Snuten und Poten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jru3JN46GN4

Fröher (Augustin Wibbelt)

Wenn de Sunn so graut un raut
Ächter'n Busk harunnersank,
Fünnen sick de Knecht' un Wichter
All tobuten up de Bank.

Binnen satt de Buer alleen,
Speeg in daude Ask un sweeg,
Un de Meerske hen un wier
No dör Küeck un Kammer steeg.

Doch dat wiällige junge Volk
Buten wor de Tied nich lank;
Wat dat helle Lachen lustig
Dör den stillen Aobend klank!

Lanksam quamm de Nacht heran,
Streek harup met weeke Flucht.
"Laot us singen!" - hell von buoben
Keek harunner Lucht an Lucht.

"Laot us singen!" Frie un frank
Trock de Sank den Kamp entlank,
Sleek metunner sacht un sinnig,
Bis he wier to Höchten sprank.

Wenn de blanke Maon wees,
Un tor Ruh de Meerske raip,
Moß dat Singen all verklingen,
Un de ganze Welt de slaip. -

Steiht dat aolle Hus no fast?
Un tobuten auk de Bank?
Singet no de Knecht' un Wichter,
Singt se no den aollen Sank?

Moin min deern/min jung?

I should like it very much to learn some platt. i was born here, but stayed in bavaria for 12 years. now i´m back and my bavarian accent (which is perfect by now) doesn´t help me any in this part of the world. And I´ve noticed, that it´s not much apreciated here up north, me singin bavarian folk songs gave my hamburg boyfreind the horrors I love them though.

I know but one song op platt which is a pity, anyone of you know one? Songs allways help learning languages i think...

oh: and does anyone know the origin of hummel hummel mors mors??

Wikipedia is your friend...

My wife (born in HH, grew up in Husum) understands Platt - her parents speak it a bit...

Moin,

I like Platt but cant understand it...some of my future family can speak it. Though I most certainly recognize moin, and use it myself. I knew it was a northern German thing but didnt know it was Platt...

Bavarian accents don't sound German to me, it's too soft and Swedish Chef like. When you think of German, you think of someone speaking with a hard clear Northern accent.

Platte Gags The jokes are awfull or you can try to read it in Lütt beten Platt mit't Abendblatt

Do you know the computer sounds op Platt? Click Here

I use this one Hey, kiek maal in dien Breevkasten na, ik glöv du hest Post kregen and some more

Nice that someone digged up this thread

Have a few new words for you:

fünsch - furious, mad, annoyed, pissed off, (you get the idea)

'n büschen - a little (ein bißchen) also: 'n lütt beten (same meaning)

I love this one:

krüsch - picky about food, choosy about food etc.

Se is n büschen krüsch, dat mokt mi fünsch (She's a little picky about food, that annoys me).

Thanks for this! I have a colleague who often greets me with 'moin!', and though I recognized a friendly greeting, I'd completely missed the subtext till now, which is obviously saying 'I'm not Bavarian!'.

- welcome.

Think I'm going to have to use it a lot the next days - when we go down south for the fest

Just phoned friends who recently moved from Hamburg to Garmisch, and was greeted with "Jo da schau her". It made my heart bleed - and my ears as well

yup, mein Lütte have learnt me that one