Old Gutnish

Gutnisch ( swedish Gutniska, Gutamål ) is on the Baltic island of Gotland (Sweden) common Germanic language.

Gutnisch may not be with Gotländisch (Swedish gotländska ), a dialect of the Swedish language, confused.

Gutnisch not belong to the North Germanic language family and, unlike Gothic, the East Germanic language family.

The gutnische language was subject to the central location of Gotland in the middle of the commercial area of the Hanseatic variety of influences. So there is Low German influences, especially from Middle Low German, the lingua franca of the Hanseatic League. In the main town of Visby Low German grave inscriptions were made in the 17th century. Equally clear is the Danish influence, as the island 1361-1645 was Danish. In addition, you can see the Baltic and Slavic influences in vocabulary. The Middle High German of the East Prussian space left its mark.

Gutnisch is still spoken by about 5,000 to 10,000 people on Gotland, but often as a Swedish- gutnische mixed language. Today's Gutnisch is usually referred to as Gutamål.