Erzgebirgisch Classification Question

[Randy Presuhn]

Hi -

> From: "CE Whitehead" <cewcathar at hotmail.com>
> To: <ietf-languages at iana.org>
> Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 9:39 AM
> Subject: Erzgebirgisch Classification Question
...
> I cannot decide whether [sxu] or [gem] is the appropriate prefix;
> why does Frank prefer [de] to [gem]--is Erzgebirgisch  that close to German?

Yes.  Part of the difficulty, as I understand it, is that Erzgebirgisch is itself a
bit of a continuum, and depending on the specific variety, one might observe
features associated with Upper Saxon or with Franconian or just very funky
German.  The *geographic* promixity is to Upper Saxon, but that's just one
detail.  I do know, from first-hand experience with other German dialects,
that it's generally safe to assume that things will be messy, with all kinds of
contact phenomena due to migration and the presence of multiple dialects
in close proximity.  The phonology might support one set of conclusions, while
grammar and vocabulary might support others.

Randy