WEST GERMANIC. Linguistically West' Ger manic is best divided into Anglo-Saxon or Eng lish, Frisian. Low German (Old Saxon), Fran conian, and High German.
Anglo-Saxon or English.—The history of the English language may be divided into four periods: (1) Anglo-Saxon with its four slightly differentiated dialects, Northumbrian and Mer cian, forming the Anglian branch, and West Saxon and Kentish (.lutes), forming the Smith ern branch. Anglo-Saxon records begin with the eighth century; the language lasted till the mid dle of the thirteenth century. when it assumed the character of (2) Old English (1250-1350), followed by (3) Middle English (1350-1550), to which succeeded (4) Modern English. Sec ANGLO-SAXON LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE; ENG LISH LANGUAGE.
Prision.—Frisian is still spoken in Holland, but in general Low German has taken its place. A branch of this language, called North Frisian, is still spoken in the southern part of the west coast of Schleswig and in the adjacent islands, Sylt, Far, and Amrum, as well as Helgoland. Old Frisian and the Anglian dialect of Anglo Saxon are closely related in grammar and vocab ulary. See FRISIAN LANGUAGE.
Law German (Old Saxon).—Low German speech differs markedly from Anglo-Saxon. The
name Saxon has spread so far from its original home that we may safely suppose that the Saxons ill the course of their conquests in North Germany spread their name politically, but at the same time blended their speech with that of the conquered tribes. In its modern continua tion Old Saxon is Plattdeutsch. See GERMAN LANGUAGE; PLATTDEUTSCII.
Franconian.—The Franconian dialects of the present day in Middle Germany (Middle Fran conian, Rhenish Franconian, and East Fran conian) differ but little from High German. (See GERMAN LANGUAGE.) The Lower Franeonians (Franks) settled in the Netherlands during the early centuries of the Christian Era. The Franco nian dialect spoken there down to the sixteenth century is called Old Low Franconian. It is con to the present day in the Dutch of Hol land, and in the Flemish of Flanders in Belgium. See DUTCH LANGUAGE; FLEMISH LANGUAGE.
High. German.—For the character of High German speech, for its extent and di*trihution in modern times, and for the development of lit erary Modern High German, see GERMAN LAN GUAGE.