Transylvanian Saxon dialect

In their case, the Ostsiedlung colonisation process took place in southern, southeastern, and northeastern Transylvania for economic development, guarding the easternmost borders of the former Kingdom of Hungary as well as mining, especially in the area of Bistrița (German: Bistritz or Nösen, archaic form).

[4] Consequently, the Transylvanian Saxon dialect has been spoken in the south, southeast, and northeast of Transylvania since the High Middle Ages onwards.

[14][15] In the contemporary era, the vast majority of the native speakers have emigrated in several waves, initially to Germany and Austria, but then subsequently to the US, Canada as well as other Western European countries, managing in the process to preserve (at least temporarily) their specific language there.

Below is a sample text written in the Transylvanian Saxon dialect, entitled 'De Råch' (meaning 'The Revenge'), which is, more specifically, an old traditional ballad/poem (also translated and in comparison with standard German/Hochdeutsch and English):[20] Hië ritt berjuëf, hië ritt berjåff, bäs e se un em Brånnen tråf.

Wat huët ech dä jang Easchuld gedon, dåt sä nea stiindiut äm Iëren lån?

Den enen stauch hië vum Ruëß eruëf diëm åndren schleach e det Hiift em uëf.

Dien drätten spålt e wä en Fäsch, der viert lef än den gränen Bäsch.

Hië ritt dohänne mät fräschem Meat, esi bezuëlt em de Fånden geat.

Was hat euch mein' Frau und Kind getan dass ihr sie mir habt niedergeschlag’n?

Was hat euch die junge Unschuld getan, dass sie nun steintod am Boden lahn?

Er ritt dahin mit frischem Mut, so bezahlt man seine Feinde gut.

Thomas, a native Transylvanian Saxon speaker from Nösnerland/Nösnergau/Țara Năsăudului (i.e. Bistrița-Năsăud County ), recorded in Freiberg am Neckar , Germany, speaking in Transylvanian Saxon about his upbringing, schooling, and profession (i.e. engineering).
German-language map depicting, in yellow, the areas where Transylvanian Saxons had settled in Transylvania, Romania, during the passing of time, and, consequently, where the Transylvanian Saxon dialect has been traditionally spoken as well.
Old High German (German: Althochdeutsch ) was spoken in the orange-coloured area on the map (corresponding to the late 10th century) and many German-speaking colonists in Transylvania subsequently stemmed from the areas of Luxembourg , Aachen , and Trier .