Alsatian Language Examples: So What Exactly Does Alsatian Look Like?

The first paragraph is an example of the Alsatian language from the Haut-Rhin.

Alsatian is mostly a spoken language.

People do write in it occasionally, but more for poetic effect than for practical purposes.

Alsatian Language Example

"Alles uf dr Arda hàt a bschtimmta Beziehung mit Wàsser.

Wàsser isch s Elemant, wo uns mit unserer Umwalt, mitem gànza Laba uf dam Plànet, verbindet.

Ohna Wàsser war d Arda a toter Himmelskärper, gràd wia dr Mond." -Yves Bisch

Here's the most accurate pronunciation guide based on American English sounds. The bold areas are the stressed syllables. The intonation for this dialect goes something like this "dah de dah de dah".

Ahll lez oof dr Arda eta bschtemta Bahzeehung meet vahssa.

Vahssa ish sellymahnt, voe oonz meet oonzahra oomvalt, meetam ganza lahbba oof dam plahnet, fahbeendet.

Ohna vahssa vard arda a tota heemlzcare pa, grahd veea dr Moand.

English Translation

Everything on Earth has a special relationship with water.

Water is the element in our environment that connects us to our planet our entire lives.

Without water, the Earth would be a dead celestial body like the moon.

German Translation

Alles auf der Erde hat eine bestimmte Beziehung mit dem Wasser.

Wasser ist das Element, das uns mit unserer Umwelt, mit dem ganzen Leben auf dem Planet, verbindet.

Ohne Wasser wäre die Erde ein toter Himmelskörper, gerade wie der Mond.

Here is a pronunciation guide for the German translation to give you an idea of the difference. In addition to being pronounced differently, the intonation for standard German is very different from Alsatian.

Ahl lez owf dare Airda hat eyena baschteemta bazeeyoong meet dame vahssa.

Vahssa eest dahss Ellaymahnt dahs oonz meet oonzairur oomvellt, meet dame gahnzun laybun owf dame plahnett, fairbeendett.

Ohneh vahssa vairah dee airda eyen tote air heemulzcore pair, guh rodd vee dare moand.

Hopefully, I can get some examples of the Bas-Rhin dialect as well as some Swabian, Badisch, and maybe even a few Swiss-German samples in the future.

Until then...

I hope this helps you understand a little bit about Alsatian or as it's called in French "Alsacien"...

Or as it is called in its own language, Elsässisch.

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