4 ms·

Well, if it comes to that. German is not _really_ a single language. It’s a dialect continuum consisting of sometimes barely mutually intelligible variants. And

Well, if it comes to that. German is not _really_ a single language. It’s a dialect continuum consisting of sometimes barely mutually intelligible variants. And yes, if you continue following that continuum, you get to the languages you mention. A language is a dialect with an army and a fleet. As they used to say.

awanderingmind 1y ago
'A language is a dialect with an army and a fleet ' --> I hadn't heard this before, love it! For the curious: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_language_is_a_dialect_with_an_army_and_navy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_language_is_a_dialect_with_a...
- woodruffw 1y ago
  A bit of relevant context: the quote is from Yiddish, which is primarily Germanic with significant admixture from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Slavic languages. (One of my current favorite party tricks is speaking Yiddish to German speakers, and cranking up the other aspects to see where the intelligibility breaks down.)
  - noduerme 1y ago
    I took a trip to Germany with my Dad, who grew up with Yiddish-speaking parents, and it was amazing to watch people's eyeballs pop out as they began to understand him and then realize what they were hearing.
  - wqpfofo 1y ago
    zaftig.
    - woodruffw 1y ago
      זאַפטיג איז יא אַ גוט װאָרט :-)
arnsholt 1y ago
And the continuum has two big groups: High and Low German (High and Low here being z-coordinates, High German dialects because they come from the more mountainous Southern areas and Low German from the lower-lying Northern parts). Modern day Standard German is a High German variant, whereas Dutch (and thus Afrikaans) are Low German.
- fhd2 1y ago
  Sorry, got nerd sniped: Isn't it usually the y coordinate that stands for the vertical axis? At least that's how I know 3D coordinate systems, with the z axis either increasing towards or away from the center, left handed vs right handed coordinate systems.
  - jgilias 1y ago
    Towards or away from the center is the height, no? As in, you’re the bird at height Z observing the x-y plane under you, and the Z axis goes into you. Or away from you if you happen to be a mole under ground.
  - arnsholt 1y ago
    In GIS parlance, elevation is typically z coordinate. Which of x and y correspond to east-west and north-south varies from coordinate system to coordinate system, and is a bountiful source of stupid bugs (at least for me). But yeah, in 3D graphics z is usually distance from the camera I think.
  - bmacho 1y ago
    Probably z pointing upwards is more common. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-dimensional_space https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-dimensional_space https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian_coordinate_system#Three_dimensions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian_coordinate_system#Th... https://www.google.com/search?udm=2&q=3d+coordinate+system https://www.google.com/search?udm=2&q=3d+coordinate+system
    - fhd2 1y ago
darkwater 1y ago
> A language is a dialect with an army and a fleet. As they used to say. I usually say "A dialect is a language that lost a war", but this one might be better :)

awanderingmind 1y ago

'A language is a dialect with an army and a fleet ' --> I hadn't heard this before, love it! For the curious: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_language_is_a_dialect_with_an_army_and_navy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_language_is_a_dialect_with_a...

woodruffw 1y ago
A bit of relevant context: the quote is from Yiddish, which is primarily Germanic with significant admixture from Hebrew, Aramaic, and Slavic languages. (One of my current favorite party tricks is speaking Yiddish to German speakers, and cranking up the other aspects to see where the intelligibility breaks down.)
- noduerme 1y ago
  I took a trip to Germany with my Dad, who grew up with Yiddish-speaking parents, and it was amazing to watch people's eyeballs pop out as they began to understand him and then realize what they were hearing.
- wqpfofo 1y ago
  zaftig.
  - woodruffw 1y ago
    זאַפטיג איז יא אַ גוט װאָרט :-)

arnsholt 1y ago

And the continuum has two big groups: High and Low German (High and Low here being z-coordinates, High German dialects because they come from the more mountainous Southern areas and Low German from the lower-lying Northern parts). Modern day Standard German is a High German variant, whereas Dutch (and thus Afrikaans) are Low German.

fhd2 1y ago
Sorry, got nerd sniped: Isn't it usually the y coordinate that stands for the vertical axis? At least that's how I know 3D coordinate systems, with the z axis either increasing towards or away from the center, left handed vs right handed coordinate systems.
- jgilias 1y ago
  Towards or away from the center is the height, no? As in, you’re the bird at height Z observing the x-y plane under you, and the Z axis goes into you. Or away from you if you happen to be a mole under ground.
- arnsholt 1y ago
  In GIS parlance, elevation is typically z coordinate. Which of x and y correspond to east-west and north-south varies from coordinate system to coordinate system, and is a bountiful source of stupid bugs (at least for me). But yeah, in 3D graphics z is usually distance from the camera I think.
- bmacho 1y ago
  Probably z pointing upwards is more common. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-dimensional_space https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-dimensional_space https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian_coordinate_system#Three_dimensions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian_coordinate_system#Th... https://www.google.com/search?udm=2&q=3d+coordinate+system https://www.google.com/search?udm=2&q=3d+coordinate+system
  - fhd2 1y ago

darkwater 1y ago

> A language is a dialect with an army and a fleet. As they used to say. I usually say "A dialect is a language that lost a war", but this one might be better :)