Main-Franconian dialects

Main-Franconian is group of German dialects that are spoken in the centre of Germany, in the area known as Franconia near the river Main.

Main-Franconian
Mainfränkisch
Native to	Germany
Region	Upper Franconia, Lower Franconia, Middle Franconia, northeast Baden-Württemberg, southwest Thuringia
Native speakers	4.9 million  (2006)
Language family	Indo-European Germanic West Germanic Irminonic Upper Germanic High Franconian East Franconian Main-Franconian
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–

In Germany most people call these dialects simply “Fränkisch”. Although they have a lot in common there are many variations from one small region to another.

Historically Franconia (German: “Franken”) was a very large area covering a lot of Germany including parts of the Rhine as far as the Netherlands. Today Franconia is the north part of Bavaria (German: “Bayern”) including what is known as Lower Franconia, Upper Franconia, Mid-Franconia and parts of Upper Bavaria.

Examples of Franconian dialect

Typical for Franconian dialects is the voiceless consonants becoming voiced, i.e. “k” pronounced like “g”, “t” like “d”, “p” like “b” and “s” like English “z”. In pubs one often hears on the public address system a request for a member of staff

• ”bidde dzur dege gommen”
• German: bitte zur Theke kommen
• English: Please come to the bar.

• Vo da Dande a Bageed griing means:
• German: Von der Tante ein Paket kriegen (/bekommen)
• English: “To receive a parcel from one’s auntie“

The pronunciation of vowels may be different from normal German, e.g. Franconia is often described as the place where:

• ”die Hasen ‘Hoosn’ und die Hosen ‘Huusn’ haasn.”
• i.e. ‘Hasen‘ (‘hares‘) are called ‘Hoosn‘ (‘Hosen’=’trousers’) and ‘Hoosn’ are called ‘Husen’. (German “Hasen” has an “a” as in British “car”; “Hosen” has an “o” similar to “oa” in “boat”; “Husen”, which does not mean anything, has a “u” like British “oo” in “moon”).

An angry Franconian might say:

• ”Der Hamml, der gscheerde, der ko wos erlehm, wenna haam kummd!”
• German: Der Saukerl kann was erleben, wenn er nach Hause kommt!
• English: “The rotten fellow will be in trouble when he gets home!“

References

• “Fränkisch” by Jens Sobisch; Kauderwelsch 186, ASMB 3-89416-474-3