The thiois ( platdutch or platdütsch ) is a Dialecte Germanique, and also designates the people speaking this dialect.

The speakers invite it thus to differentiate it from the hochdeutsch (the High-German). The term francic Carolingian is also used in French. It should not be confused with the Plattdeutsch (the Low-German or Plattdüütsch ).

Its speakers name it simply flat (or " platt"), which must be included/understood with the direction " patois" (such as for example: Diksjonäär van and Flat Jömelejer, Dictionary of the patois of Gemmenich ).

Two linguistic classifications are in competition. The first considers that the Carolingian is a dialect Limbourgeois, named " then; limbourgeois of the south-ouest" or " limbourgeois of the Three frontières" (in reference to its geographical extent). The second supports that it is about a language to the clean direction, between the ripuaire and the Limbourgeois (and thus independent of this last). An argument pleading in favor of the second assumption is the construction of the sentences, which is typically Romance. The debate on this subject is not free from policy, considering the delicate situation of the Fourons (where he is in particular spoken) as a Commune to facility of the Flemish Limbourg .

Origin and direction of the word

Thiois is the translation in Welche word Deutsch (direction of origin). The word is antiquated and was reduced to a regional use.

Historically, the Wallons regarded as Thiois the Flemish , while for the French, this term indicated German-speaking zones of contact (in particular those present in current North native of the Moselle region even the Alsaciens).

In a similar spirit, the thiois could be, for certain French-speaking people, of the bromesch (the brabançon ) in its dialect of Brussels. This speech is close to the Flemish speeches , though presenting remained characters Limbourgeois dominating in the Belgian capital until the second third of the XIXe century.

The Lorraine thioise is credits indicating the surface linguistic native of the Moselle region of tradition Francique.

Geography

The Province of Liege speaks four languages. Two are official, the French and the German (in the east, in the 9 German-speaking communes), and 2 are regional: the Walloon and the " plat". It is spoken there in north and the east, in the area of the Three Borders (of the Fourons to Eupen, while passing by Plombières).

Historically, this linguistic surface extended from Tongres to Cologne, and perhaps Charlemagne spoke it (from where its name " carolingien"). Since, vis-a-vis German, with French and Dutch, the " plat" did not have of cease to move back. In Belgium, this retreat is also due to its proximity with German (the language of the enemy at the time of the two world wars), then with Dutch (see on this subject the Community Problèmes in Belgium).

See too

• " " is the translation of " thiois" , with the direction " platdutch" , francic " carolingien" spoken in the Three borders.
• " " mean " on the other hand; thiois" , with the more general direction (" flamand") and thus refers to Flemish, the brabançon and the limbourgeois.

Internal bonds

• linguistic Border native of the Moselle region
• Fourons
• Plombières
• Cantons of the endogenous East
• regional Language (Belgium)

External bonds

• Project Babel
• Our patois, our " Platdutch"
• Site of the Three borders
• Dictionary of the patois of Gemmenich