Low Saxon, also referred to as Neddersassisch, Plattdüütsch, or Low German (Niederdeutsch), is the modern continuation of Old Saxon. This language is primarily spoken in the northern regions of Germany and the eastern provinces of the Netherlands. Although closely related to both Dutch and German, Low Saxon is recognized as a distinct regional language by the European Union and by the local authorities in the regions where it is traditionally spoken.
The roots of Low Saxon trace back to Old Saxon (circa –1200), which was originally spoken in Northern Albingia, north of the Lower Elbe. Its territory extended from Southern Schleswig in the north to the Harz Mountains in the south, and from near the Ijssel Sea in the west to the areas around Kiel and Lauenburg in the east. Old Saxon bordered Frisian, Low Franconian, Anglish, and Jutish in the north and west, and Western Slavonic in the east, while overlapping with German in southern areas. In Germany, it is sometimes called "Old Low German" (Altniederdeutsch), though academic circles prefer "Old Saxon" (Altsächsisch).
Between 1200 and 1650, Middle Saxon was widely influential. It functioned as the lingua franca of the Hanseatic League, facilitating communication across cities and trading posts along the Baltic and North Sea coasts, reaching Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Britain, and even Russia. Middle Saxon also impacted Scandinavian languages, differentiating them from Old Norse and the conservative dialects of Iceland and the Faroe Islands. In addition, it left a strong imprint on the languages of the Baltic region, notably Eastern Pomeranian (Kashubian) and Estonian. Earlier texts often mistakenly labeled these influences as "German."
Today, Low Saxon is divided into numerous dialects, with no unified standard language or spelling system connecting all communities. Some Dutch dialect groups have established local orthographic standards, but the overall language community remains fragmented. Many speakers in Germany are unaware that related dialects exist in the Netherlands and in North and South America. Centuries of marginalization, suppression, and social stigma have weakened the language’s use and endangered its continuity.
A notable variety, Mennonite Low Saxon or Plautdietsch, developed in the Vistula Delta of Northern Poland, adopted by Mennonite communities originally from the Netherlands and Northern Germany. Later, it spread to Ukraine’s Molochna and Khortitza regions, where it absorbed influences from Russian, Ukrainian, and Turkic languages, while maintaining German as a liturgical and high-status language. Migrating Mennonite communities subsequently brought Plautdietsch to Siberia, Central Asia, and the Americas. Today, Germany hosts the largest number of Mennonite Low Saxon speakers, followed by Canada, the United States, Mexico, and parts of South America. Geographic separation and religious identity have caused this group to diverge from other Low Saxon dialects significantly.
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Have you ever wondered why lowland languages sound so different? We explain how they came about and the factors influencing their evolution over time.