Editing Hamburg (section)

===Language===
{{See also|Hamburgisch dialect}}

As elsewhere in Germany, [[Standard German]] is spoken in Hamburg, but as typical for northern Germany, the original language of Hamburg is [[Low German]], usually referred to as ''Hamborger Platt'' (German ''Hamburger Platt'') or ''[[Hamburgisch|Hamborgsch]]''. Since large-scale [[Standard language|standardisation]] of the German language beginning in earnest in the 18th century, various Low German-coloured dialects have developed (contact-varieties of German on Low Saxon substrates). Originally, there was a range of such [[Missingsch]] varieties, the best-known being the low-prestige ones of the working classes and the somewhat more bourgeois ''Hanseatendeutsch'' (Hanseatic German), although the term is used in appreciation.<ref>{{Citation |contribution=Die deutsche Sprache—eine Dialektlandschaft |title=Nationalatlas Bundesrepublik Deutschland |last=Bausch |first=Karl-Heinz |url=http://www.ifl-nationalatlas.de/download/bsppdf/Band_6_bsp.pdf |year=2007 |access-date=24 September 2008 |publisher=Leibniz-Institut für Länderkunde |location=Leipzig |isbn=978-3-8274-0947-8 |pages=94–95 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719043439/http://www.ifl-nationalatlas.de/download/bsppdf/Band_6_bsp.pdf |archive-date=19 July 2011|language=de}}</ref> All of these are now moribund due to the influences of Standard German used by education and media. However, the former importance of Low German is indicated by several songs, such as the [[sea shanty]] [[Hamborger Veermaster]], written in the 19th century when Low German was used more frequently. Many toponyms and street names reflect Low Saxon vocabulary, partially even in Low Saxon spelling, which is not standardised, and to some part in forms adapted to Standard German.<ref>Several places are named ...brook (Billbrook, Brooktor, Grasbrook, Hammerbrook, Hellbrook, Iserbrook) rather than Standard German ...bruch (neutr.; =brook riverscape), Bullenhusen rather than Bullenhausen, Lohbrügge rather than Lohbrücke, several localities starting with Nien... (Niendorf, Nienstedten) rather than Neuen..., or ending ...hude (Dockenhuden, Harvestehude, Winterhude) rather than ...hut[ung] (fem.; =pasture), Uhlenhorst rather than Eulenhorst, several places and water bodies are named ...bek (Barmbek, Eilbek, Fischbek, Flottbek, Goldbek, Isebek, Kirchsteinbek, Langenbek, Osterbek, Pepermölenbek, Wandsbek) rather than ...bach, several places and water bodies are called ...fleet (Alsterfleet, Bleichenfleet, Moorfleet) rather than ...fließ (=brook, stream). Further toponyms with no close Standard German correspondents appear, such as ...büttel (=inhabited place; Eimsbüttel, Fuhlsbüttel, Hummelsbüttel, Poppenbüttel, Wellingsbüttel) or Twiete (=alley wedged between buildings). Like in other parts of Northern Germany ...stedt (Bergstedt, Billstedt, Duvenstedt, Eidelstedt, Lokstedt, Mellingstedt, Nienstedten, Ohlstedt, Rahlstedt) prevails over ...stadt (=town, originally simply stead).</ref>