Colognian facts for kids

Colognian or Kölsch (pronounced like "kerlsh") is a special way of speaking, almost like a unique language. It's a type of dialect from the Ripuarian group, which is part of the Central German language family. People speak Kölsch mainly in and around the city of Cologne in northwest Germany. This area stretches from Neuss in the north down to just south of Bonn, and from Düren in the west to Olpe in the east.

What's in a Name?

In the local dialects, "kölsch" is an adjective. It means "from Cologne" or "having to do with Cologne." So, it's like saying "Colognian." When people say "ene Kölsche" or "de Kölsche," they are talking about the people who live in Cologne.

The word "Kölsch" by itself can mean two things: the dialect or the local Kölsch beer. This is why people in Cologne have a funny saying: "Ours is the only language you can drink!"

Who Speaks Kölsch?

About 250,000 people in Cologne actively speak Kölsch. This is roughly one-quarter of the city's population. Almost everyone who speaks Kölsch also speaks standard German very well.

Many more people, around 10 million in the wider region, can understand Kölsch. There's even a small group of people who speak a type of Kölsch in Dane County, Wisconsin in the United States.

Where is Kölsch Spoken?

Within Cologne, there are slight differences in how Kölsch is spoken in different neighborhoods. These differences are becoming less noticeable over time. Sometimes, people mistakenly call other Ripuarian dialects from Belgium, the Netherlands, and the German Rhineland "Kölsch." However, these are actually different dialects.

There's also something called the Rhinelandic regiolect. This is a regional way of speaking Standard German that has been influenced a bit by the local dialect. Many people who speak the regiolect don't even realize it's different from plain Standard German.

A Look at Kölsch History

Modern Kölsch is not very old. It grew from an older form of Colognian. But it has been influenced by New High German since the 1600s.

The French also had an impact on Kölsch. This happened when Napoleon Bonaparte's army occupied the Left Bank of the Rhine from 1794 to 1815. Because of this, Kölsch has more French words and phrases than standard German.

Kölsch is one of the Ripuarian dialects. These dialects are part of the West Franconian family, which is a branch of West Middle German. Kölsch is closely related to dialects spoken in the lower Rhineland and Moselle Franconian areas. It shares some features with them and also has unique words. Like the Limburgish language, Kölsch has a special "singing" tone when spoken.

How Kölsch is Different from Standard German

Kölsch has several interesting differences when compared to standard German. Many of these differences are found in other Ripuarian dialects too.

• Sounds: In Kölsch, some sounds are pronounced differently. For example, the "ch" sound in words like "ich" (I) often sounds more like "sh" in Kölsch.
• "G" Sound: The "g" sound in standard German is often pronounced differently in Kölsch, especially at the beginning of words. This leads to a funny saying that Kölsch has no "g" sound, but it actually does, just in different places!
• Vowels: Kölsch has more vowel sounds than standard German. Also, the length of vowels (whether they are short or long) can change the meaning of a word in Kölsch.
• "R" Sound: The "r" sound in Kölsch is often very soft or even disappears completely, especially at the end of words. For example, the German word "kurz" (short) becomes "koot" in Kölsch.
• Word Endings: Kölsch often drops the "t" sound at the end of words if another consonant follows. Also, the standard German ending "-en" is often shortened in Kölsch. This means that Kölsch plural words can sometimes sound like standard German singular words.
• Grammar: Kölsch has a simpler case system than standard German. For example, the genitive case (which shows possession) is not used. Also, many regular verbs in standard German have irregular forms in Kölsch.

Using Kölsch Today

Colognian dialect on a sign on an S-Bahn train. The sign says: "Everywhere, we Cologners are on the move!"

Kölsch is very well documented. The Akademie för uns Kölsche Sproch (Academy for our Colognian Language) and scholars like Adam Wrede have created dictionaries, grammar books, and phrase books.

Even though Kölsch isn't usually taught in schools, many young people still learn it. There are theaters that perform plays only in Kölsch, like the famous Volkstheater Millowitsch and the Hänneschen-Theater puppet theater.

More and more books are being written in Kölsch. Also, traditional music and rock music in Kölsch are very popular, especially during Carnival. Bands like Brings, Bläck Fööss, and Höhner are well-known. The Kölsch rock group BAP is even one of the most successful rock bands in Germany! Sometimes, German TV comedians also use a simpler version of Kölsch or the Rhinelandic regiolect.

The Lord's Prayer in Kölsch

Here is a modern version of the Lord's Prayer written in Colognian by Jean Jenniches (1894–1979). It's an artistic version, not a word-for-word translation.

English translation:

See also

In Spanish: Idioma kölsch para niños

• Aachen dialect
• Colognian grammar
• Colognian phonology