69,800,000 in Germany (ELDIA 2012). Population total all countries: 78,245,280. L2 users: 8,000,000 in Germany (ELDIA 2012).
1 (National). De facto national language.
Major related varieties are Bavarian [bar], Schwäbian [swg], Alemannisch [gsw], Mainfränkisch [vmf], Hessisch, Palatinian, Rheinfränkisch, Westfälisch [wep], Saxonian, Thuringian, Brandenburgisch, and Low Saxon [nds]. Many varieties are not mutually intelligible. Our present treatment is incomplete. Standard German is one High German variety, developed from the chancery of Saxony, gaining acceptance as the written standard in the 16th and 17th centuries. High German refers to dialects and languages in the upper Rhine region. Lexical similarity: 60% with English [eng], 29% with French [fra].
Based equally on East Upper German and East Middle German. Christian.