Upper German

Upper German
Geographic distribution:	Southern Germany, northern and central Switzerland, Austria, and northern Italy
Genetic classification:	Indo-European  Germanic   West Germanic    High German     Upper German
Subdivisions:	Alemannic Austro-Bavarian Franconian
1: East Franconian      2: South Franconian      3: Swabian German      4: Low Alemannic      5: Alsatian      6: High and Highest Alemannic      7: Northern Austro-Bavarian      8: Central Austro-Bavarian      9: Southern Austro-Bavarian

Upper German (German: Oberdeutsch) is a family of High German dialects spoken primarily in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and northern Italy.

Family tree

Upper German can be generally classified as Alemannic or Austro-Bavarian. However, there are several dialects in these two groups besides the more widespread versions of Alemannic and Austro-Bavarian.

• Franconian German (German: Fränkisch, transition between Central and Upper German)
  • East Franconian German (G: Ostfränkisch, numbered 1 on the map, right)
    • Main-Franconian (G: Mainfränkisch)
  • South Franconian German (G: Südfränkisch, numbered 2)
• Alemannic German (G: Alemannisch)3
  • Swabian German (G: Schwäbisch, spoken mostly in Swabia, numbered 3)
  • Low Alemannic German (G: Niederalemannisch, numbered 4)
    • Alsatian (Al & G: Elsässisch, spoken in Alsace, France, numbered 5)
    • Alemán Coloniero (G & Spanish: Alemán Coloniero, spoken in Venezuela)
    • Basel German (Baseldytsch: Baslerdüütsch, G: Baseldeutsch)
  • High Alemannic German (Al & G: Hochalemannisch, numbered 6)
    • Bernese German (Bernese: Bärndütsch, G: Berndeutsch)
    • Zürich German (G: Zürichdeutsch, Zürich German: Züritüütsch)
  • Highest Alemannic German (Al & G: Höchstalemannisch, numbered 6)
    • Walliser German (G: Walliserdeutsch Walliser German: Wallisertitsch, spoken in the Wallis Canton of Switzerland)
      • Walser German (G: Walserdeutsch)
• Austro-Bavarian (A-B: Boarische Språch, G: Bairisch, spoken in Austria, Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy, and in Bavaria, Germany)
  • Northern Austro-Bavarian (A-B: Nordboarisch, G: Nordbairisch, spoken in Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, numbered 7)
  • Central Austro-Bavarian (A-B: Mittelboarisch, G: Mittelbairisch, spoken in Bavaria and Austria, numbered 8)
  • Southern Austro-Bavarian (A-B: Südboarisch, G: Südbairisch, spoken in Austria and Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy)
  • Cimbrian (G: Tzimbrisch, Italian: lingua cimbra, spoken in northeastern Italy)
  • Mócheno (It: lingua mòchena, spoken in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, in Italy)
  • Hutterite German (G: Hutterisch, spoken in Canada and the United States)