Ausbausprache, Abstandsprache and Dachsprache

Distance and expansion are concepts of linguistics - more specifically, the dialectology - used for the characterization of linguistic varieties. They were originally coined by sociologist Heinz Kloss Language (1978), a clarification received these terms inter alia, by Georg Bossong (2008).

Language and dialect

There are linguistic varieties, whose character is clearly identified as "language" or " standard language" such as English, German or Spanish, other varieties whose status as a " dialect " of an associated language is also clear, such as the Bairische as a dialect (group) of the German or the Piedmont as a dialect of Italian. In between, there are many varieties that can not be uniquely qualified easily as a language or a dialect. The terms " distance" and " expansion " can be the wide range between high level language and dialect accurately describe and clarify the definition of " language".

Distance

The distance of a language variety to another variety is through their differences in the areas

  • Vocabulary
  • Phonetics
  • Morphology (nominal system, verbal system )
  • Syntax

And

  • By the degree of their mutual intelligibility

Found, the last feature is rather problematic. Of course, the finding that a variety of other a "great distance" or " small distance " has not to meet with mathematical precision, and as a general judgment. In addition, a so -defined notion of distance gradually. An undoubted example is Basque, from all other varieties has a great distance, as it is unrelated to any other variety. (However, the distance to the dialects of Basque is rather low. ) But even that has Frankoprovenzalische within the Romance languages ​​a significant distance to all French and Occitan varieties.

Extension

While the distance criterion refers only to the internal quality characteristics of language varieties, the term " expansion " an external characterization, which can also be rather quantified. Decisive for the degree of expansion of a language variety are the following criteria:

  • Existence of a Verschriftung with a recognized standard orthographic ( written language )
  • Standardization of phonetics, morphology and syntax
  • Use of the variety for sophisticated cultural and scientific texts
  • Presence of an independent literature
  • Use of the variety as a national or official language

In this sense, natural languages ​​such as German or Italian varieties are highly developed, while most German dialects lack of an orthographic standard and demanding scientific prose, so they are expanded rather low.

  • "Distance languages ​​" are linguistic varieties which surrounds them from all other varieties have a large linguistic distance, regardless of their degree of expansion.
  • "Removing Languages ​​" are all varieties that have a high degree of expansion, regardless of their distance from other varieties.
  • One variety is then qualified as a "language" if it is distance language or extension language ( or both).

However, the distance language definition should be clarified to the effect that this is not true for the distance to its own sub-varieties, which is naturally low; otherwise would all languages ​​, the dialects have ( and there are few languages ​​without dialectal classification ), no spacing languages ​​in the strict sense of the definition.

The extension language definition does not fully independent of the distance: the German spoken in Germany is linguistically so minimal from the Austrian German, that the fact that both varieties are very highly developed, yet makes these varieties, no two different languages. It is different in the " developed " Luxembourg: here the distance to the Germans is even low, but large enough to speak of a separate "language". These examples show that the classification can be very difficult as the distance or language development in individual cases.

Distance language and culture dialect within the meaning of Bossong

After Bossong be of Kloss derogation as " distance languages ​​" only refers to those Abstandsvarietäten, which have a low degree of expansion. Ausbauvarietäten a short distance from other varieties referred Bossong as "cultural dialect ". He comes to the following categorization:

A "language " is therefore a highly developed Abstandsvarietät, a " culture dialect " a highly developed variety, the other varieties has a rather small distance, while a " dialect " to his Referenzvarietät has a relatively small distance and a low degree of expansion. The term " language distance " is used only in small degree of expansion, so other than by Kloss.

Examples from the Roman

By this definition, the Romanesque

  • Languages: for example, Spanish, French, Italian
  • Distance Languages ​​( low expansion ): eg Franco-Provençal
  • Cultural dialects: for example Galician, Corsican
  • Dialects: eg Piedmontese

Spanish, French or Italian have a clearly definable distance to all other Romance varieties, and are fully equipped cultural languages ​​. Although Franco-Provençal has a distinct linguistic distance to the neighboring French and Occitan varieties, but does not have a high degree of expansion, such as missing a mandatory spelling or extensive professional prose. Galician and Corsican have little linguistic distance to Portuguese or Italian varieties, but have a high degree of expansion due to their independent literature.

Basque language Abstandsprache Ausbausprache, Abstandsprache and Dachsprache#Dachsprache
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