Middle Low German

File:Mittelniederdeutsch.jpg

Inscription in Middle Low German on a house at Hameln. - "Alle der warlde herlicheyt is alse ene blome de huete wasset un morgen vorgheit. Des herrn wort blift yn ewicheit" - Translation: All the world's magnificence is like a flower that grows today and vanishes tomorrow; the Lord's word remains in eternity.

Middle Low German is a development step of the Low German language ("Niederdeutsch"). It was in use in the northern part of Germany. It developed from Old Saxon, in the Middle Ages. The first records date from the 13th century. It was one of the languages the Hanseatic League used. It also influenced the Nordic languages, such as Swedish, which took loanwords from it. At that time, it was also used for treaties and diplomacy. One of the surviving testimonies is the Sachsenspiegel.

Middle Low German Media

• Hansesprache no text.jpg

  Extent of Middle Low German in red and as literary language (black lines tilted right)

• Reynke-de-Vos Vorrede.jpg

  The title of this passage reads Eyne vorrede ouer dyt boek van reynken deme vossecode: gml is deprecated , which translates as 'A prologue about this book of Reynard the Fox'. The typeface is typical for the blackletter used in MLG printing.