The spelling of the word "High German" is not an accurate representation of its pronunciation. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is written as /haɪ ˈdʒɜːmən/. The "h" is pronounced, unlike in some other German words, and the "i" is a long vowel sound. The "gh" in "High" is silent, and the "g" sound is replaced by the "j" sound. The "e" at the end of "German" is also silent, making the final syllable pronounced as /mən/. Overall, the spelling of "High German" can be misleading for its pronunciation.
High German refers to the central and southern dialects of the German language, which originated and evolved during the medieval period in the Holy Roman Empire. It is one of the major branches of the West Germanic language family, alongside Low German and Dutch.
The term "High German" encompasses a range of dialects spoken in different regions within the central and southern parts of modern-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. This includes variants such as Middle High German, spoken during the Middle Ages, and Early New High German, spoken during the Renaissance period.
High German is characterized by certain phonological, morphological, and lexical features, distinguishing it from other Germanic languages. It exhibits a specific sound shift known as the High German consonant shift, which altered certain sounds in the spoken language. Additionally, High German developed a standard written form, known as "Hochdeutsch" or "High German," which became the norm for official and literary purposes.
Today, High German serves as the official standard language of Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein, as well as being one of the three official languages of Switzerland. It is also widely understood and used as a lingua franca in other German-speaking regions and communities.
The word "High German" is derived from the Old High German term "hōh", which means "high" or "elevated", and "diutisc" meaning "of the people". "Hōhdiutisc" referred to the language spoken by the people living in the mountainous region of southern Germany during the Early Middle Ages. Over time, this language developed into what is now known as Old High German. The term "High German" is used to distinguish this dialect from other Germanic dialects spoken during that era, such as Low German.