West Central German () belongs to the Central, High German dialect family of German. It includes the following sub-families: Central Franconian () Ripuarian (), spoken in North Rhine-Westphalia (including ) and German-speaking Belgium and a small edge of the south of the Dutch province of Limbourg. Moselle Franconian (; ) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and France Luxembourgish (; ; or ) in Luxembourg, Belgium and France Hunsrik (), spoken in Brazil and derived from the dialect of Moselle Franconian Rhine Franconian (; ) Palatinate Franconian (; ), spoken in Rhineland-Palatinate Lorraine Franconian (; ) in the French region of Lorraine Bukovina German () in Bukovina (extinct) Pennsylvania German () in historical communities in North America, especially Pennsylvania Hessian () in Hesse and the Rhenish Hesse region of Rhineland-Palatinate North Hessian () Central Hessian () East Hessian () South Hessian ()
On the southern and southeastern edges, West Central German varieties border on an area often considered a transitional area between Central German and Upper German, comprising the dialect groups South Franconian German and East Franconian German (popularly called Franconian because dialects of this sub-family are spoken all over Franconia).
West Central German was spoken in several settlements throughout America, for example in the Amana Colonies.
See also East Central German Limburgish language High German consonant shift
References